Crossing the Border
by IllusionaryNosebleed
Summary: FanFiction that parodies a Fanbase.
1. Prologue

I am Ken Sington, an Asian teenager, at the age of sixteen.

I am in a family of three, including myself, and my parents. My parents believe in cleanliness, since I am usually stuck with the job of cleaning the house I live in with a single vacuum cleaner, while my parents improve the aesthetics in the front yard and back yard. My mom and dad are equal in ability as cooks, which is very skillful. I know no other fathers who know how to cook a delicious "Buddha Jumping Wall." My dad used to actually be a cook in a nearby Chinese restaurant called "Oriental Express," but later he joined my mom in doing manicures in a Nail Salon, which is actually very profitable, considering how expensive getting your nails done are. My mom is somewhat religious, since there is a altar in my basement honoring my dead grandparents on my mom's side, adorned with golden Buddha statues and burnt out incense sticks. I am amicable with my parents, although my only crutch with them is that I don't know my native language. And my parents know very little English.

I go to Bryan Clay High School as a junior now, my parents have nudged me in the past to go to an academy, but they gave up when I entered sophomore year at Bryan Clay.

Usually, most of the teenagers at Bryan Clay are crackheads, I believe they are influenced by the crappy mainstream pop they listen to, especially since they think dick jokes are funny. Basically, most of the music they listen to are about sex, money, and drugs. That music just turns me off, like hell I would care to hear about a Gucci man who does his dishes. I listen to anything as long as it sounds good musically, including some of the mainstream pop. There are some good songs out there, the only reason people stop listening to them is because they listen to it too much. There's a lot of drama at the school, this makes me wonder why they couldn't just "take it easy."  
I don't study as I seldom do things that don't interest me like homework. It's usually too easy, even if I hardly ever pay attention in class at all. It's all down to common sense, except for math, where I have to learn troublesome formulas to pass. It's very common to see a lot of very stupid people in advanced classes, for example, there's this brunette in Advanced Chemistry when she doesn't even know what the periodic table is.

In school, I used to be only known as a typical stereotypical Asian nerd, since I don't even have to try in school to pass with at least a high average and people ask me to help them with their homework. It's like I'm the middleman, people love me but don't even want to associate with me. But all that changed when I met a group of people in my freshman year. They were at first only using me to help them with homework. But after getting to know one of them, Jonathan, slowly things started to change for the better. I became more than the the middleman to them, more like a smart friend who's always there in need, drama and academics alike. I even changed their demeanor as a whole from being generally mean and bratty, to a more relaxed and nice attitude.

I have messy, thick black hair, with the bangs just above my green, narrow eyes. I have somewhat of a skinny frame but not skeletal like a certain person who revels in a drunken paradise.

I have little muscle, but due to playing guitar, I have incredible finger strength. I could hang on to a rough tree branch for hours with only my hardened fingers.

My skin is tanned, but not like a sun tan at all.

Recently, I have been getting into the phenomenon that is Touhou. With their lunatic yet addicting difficulty on the shooter series and catchy music, who wouldn't like it? There are all sorts of arranges for the original video game music, ranging from metal to classical, even making a popular internet meme involving two misshapen heads. All this was caused by a single one-man team called "Shanghai Alice," which amazed me, since it's very popular in Japan, even to the point where it has its own festival. Even some people I know started listening to the music, they all love a certain tomboyish song in common, even dancing to it once at the park with a really loud stereo. Eventually I found a Touhou fanbase forum called "ToujinStyle", who seems to be at odds with another forum called "Maids of the Kaleidoscope." I like ToujinStyle more, since people on there have a more friendly and relaxed demeanor than MoTK, where they are more serious.

I can't go throughout a day without doing something Touhou-related, especially since I visit the forum every day.

All in all, life was as mundane as you can get, continuing to bore me, until this happened, changing my life.

It all started while I recently got back from school, practicing guitar and skipping homework in my messy room. I just ate a cup of chicken Ramen noodles, explaining the empty Styrofoam cup with a plastic white fork in front of me.

I was intent on trying to master a song called "Bad Apple", a very old fan-made Touhou song.

I was sweating, mindlessly practicing a section of a song, while my fingers started to hurt, my callouses red.

(I haven't practiced this much in a long time. I think the jet lag is getting to me.)

Recently muting a messed-up attempt at the section of the song, I suddenly heard my phone, a Samsung Eternity touchscreen, vibrate on the table.

Picking it up, it appeared to be a phone call from my friend Jonathan.

(That's weird, you usually never call unless there's a situation going on, and even then you would just text it.)

Sighing, I gently put my guitar on the phone and pressed the green button on my phone, putting it to my left ear.

"Hey Jonathan, what's up?" I asked, curious.

"Dude, come to the basketball court at the park near the lake" replied Jonathan, ignoring my greeting. He sounded hurried, while panting.

"Ok, Why?" I asked.

"There's this cocky ass kid named Jesse with his friend Brenta. They have the fucking nerve to think I sucked at basketball and they called me out. Damn dumbasses, don't they know who I am?" muttered Jonathan.

(Wow, you usually never get angry at people for that, nor would you care if somebody thinks you're bad at basketball. Even if that's completely wrong.)

"Wow seriously? Weren't you the star point guard back in high school?"

"Yeah exactly. I heard they transferred to our school at the beginning of the school year. I can't play two people on my own, But two is better against two other people."

(Are you asking me to play basketball with you? Oh ho, no. I become winded easily, I never worked on the cardiac part of my body, especially since I got hooked into Touhou.)

"But i suck at basketball."

"Dude, come on. I just need you to block since you're tall and I'm short."

(That singled me out from the rest of the Asians, I swear I am as tall as freaking Yao Ming, and I am a good blocker. That's the only useful purpose for me in basketball, overshadowed by my shameful shots.)

"...alright. I will come over there very soon if I can" I said, hesitating at the beginning.

"Ok man. Just watch me, I'm going to go John Wall on them" said Jonathan, before hanging up.

I put my phone down on the table before putting up my guitar in a soft yet firm guitar case, closing it.

(Well, there goes me practicing bad apple, I'll just have to work on that section later.)

I walk out of my room into a hallway with a mirror at the end of the corridor, after grabbing a pair of socks from my Armoire.

(No matter what, that mirror still gives me the chills even it's been there since I was like seven.)

While I was hopping and putting on my socks at the same time, out of the corner in my eye I saw a strange ripple in the mirror. I quickly turned around to look at it and it just kept rippling, while taking off my socks.

(Uh, what the hell is going on? Is Bloody Mary going to kill me? No that can't be right, it's not dark and I'm not spinning in front of a mirror chanting her name.)

I noticed a red ribbons on each end of a long line. Then it opened up with so many red eyes just looking at me.

I was shocked, as thoughts began to race in my mind while my body was rendered motionless.

(Isn't.....Isn't this Yukari's Gap? Isn't that fictional? Am I dreaming or having a hallucination from practicing so much guitar?)  
I blinked my eyes to make sure I wasn't having a hallucination and it was still there. I pinched myself while thinking it was a dream,  
but it hurt as I quickly stopped.

(It shouldn't hurt if I was in a dream. Has the drunken paradise come true? Is it actually real?)

I continued to look with utter bewilderment. Then out of great curiosity, I walked over to the gap, tripping myself in the process and  
fell into the gap. I merely drifted as I watched the eyes staring at me like they are observing. The gap I tripped into closed behind me.

(Okay calm down Ken, Somehow you managed to be in Yukari's.....world, while the eyes in the background are uncomfortably staring you down.)

I drifted throughout the space, with the uncomfortable stare from those eyes.

I drifted for two hours, while I was thinking up a conclusion.

(So by all the touhou fanfiction and theories I read, I might be going to Gensokyo. But I know I can't make it through it without modern technology, I will have to rely on Rinnosuke, that one guy who actually sells it in a seemingly backwards world. At least I know I can get my fix of Touhou depending on how long I'm here. But i bet none of those Yuri couples are happening, I could be wrong though... How am i going to adjust without a computer or a guitar to entertain myself? How do i fly? What if Yuyuko, that glutton, wants to eat me?  
Is there toliet paper in Gensokyo?)

As i pondered these questions, a gap opened beneath me and I looked down to see a shrine with a black haired girl sweeping the leaves  
with a bamboo broom.

(Reimu?)

Then Gravity decided to be active at this time, as I fell into the ground headfirst next to the donation box, my vision blurred in and out as I heard my glasses skid across the ground, before slowly blacking out. I heard a broom hit the ground and hurried footsteps coming towards me.

The last thing I remember is a voice in a background before I passed out.

"I spilled my tea, ze......who's tha..?"


	2. Chapter 1

**Ken's POV**

I fell unconscious from the resulting fall, while I dream of things that are touhou related.

(I wasn't obsessed with Touhou, but I certainly was obsessed with their games and music.)

Unfortunately, i was known for the tendency to talk in my sleep.

Touhou-related images popped up in front of me while I had a really painful headache.

(This really hurts....but where the hell am I? I think I'm going to enjoy this.)

I saw a faint figure running from another person.

(Eh? Who's that?)

**Third POV**  
Reimu and Marisa were sitting by Ken's side as he is sleeping and somehow talking in his sleep. He was in a futon with a bandage on his forehead, with a noticeable blood stain on it.

All three people were in the Hakurei Shrine, an old-fashioned building made of wood with a patio in the front of the building with no fences. Two stairs descend to the ground from the patio even if its only two steps. In between the stairs is a large donation box with a pattern of wood blocks in a striped formation at the top of the box, in between the wood blocks are space leading to its contents. A courtyard is in front of the shrine with a paved path leading from it to a hair with stairs descending down. Behind the shrine is a hot spring and a grove of Cherry trees. Inside the shrine, the floor was covered in tatami mats with a small table with cushions on each edge. There was also a water barrel, and another room.

Marisa was looking at Ken as he slept while saying, "hehe cute, ze!"

Marisa had golden eyes, blond hair, and a braid on only one side of her face. She is wearing a black witch's hat with a large white ribbon, and a black and light pink outfit with a white petticoat.

Reimu on the other hand, had an inquisitive look on her face when she questioned, "Where did he come from? people don't just pop out like that."

Reimu has dark red eyes, black hair, and is wearing a large red ribbon in hair. She is also wearing a red and white dress remotely similar to a shrine maiden's outfit with detached sleeves leaving her shoulders uncovered, and a red neckerchief. Next to her on her right is a rod [also known as a Gohei] with many paper seals attached in streamers.

Marisa looked at Reimu, and giggled. She said, "I don't know, it was nice for you to put a futon out for him, we probably never heard of those dreams, ze! Don't wake him up and ask just yet. I think it's about to get interesting."

Ken, in his dream, sees an IOSYS video that used to be popular. It is in his dream, depicting Marisa stealing a book.

Ken, while watching Marisa run away with the book in his dreams, uttered unconsciously, "Hehe, Marisa stole the Precious Thing!" He says it three times in succession.

Marisa blushes in embarrassment, and begins to sweat. "But i stole......err..borrowed nothing important from anyone" Marisa denied. "I have no idea what he is talking about"

Reimu giggled at Marisa's expense when Ken suddenly dreams about an armpit revealing video of Reimu, that happens to have mayonnaise sliding off Reimu's armpits. Reimu in Ken's dream was also moaning as if she was faking an orgasm while blushing red.

[A/N: Reimu's armpits are known to be "erotic" by Touhou-crazy fans. They dubbed it as a better substitute than porn, also having the same mental capacity as a Twilight-retarded fan.]

Ken uttered, "Yes, Reimu, Show me those sexy-ass armpits of yours and moan in pleasure."

Reimu stares at him wide-eyed, and looked at her armpits by raising them. Marisa giggled and had a smirk on her face.

"Maybe he's right, They do look attractive with what your sarashi and all, ze." Marisa joked. "Those sleeves only cover so much!"

Reimu, irritated, immediately dropped her arms, reached for her gohei at her side, and bonks Marisa on the head directly.

Marisa exclaimed, "Ow, ze!" Then Marisa began to rub her head in pain.

Right after that, Ken now dreams about SikiEiki punishing Komachi and begans to laugh like a maniac. The scene depicts Komachi being hit several times in the head with a short golden blade and lectured to by Siki. A scythe sat next to Komachi while Ken looked onward as a onlooker, and began to laugh uncontrollably.

Ken evilly uttered, "HEHEHEHEHEHE!!!! REPENT!!!"

Marisa stared at Ken with an angry face while Reimu smiles at her triumphantly. Both were taking Ken's dream seriously, although Marisa took it too seriously.

Inside Marisa's hat on top of her head, there rests a palm-sized octagonal block made of wood eight with eight trigrams printed in a circle on its front, a small circular hole is in the middle of the Hakkero. A hand reached out over the block as Marisa was really angry while blushing a lot, slightly raising her hat and as a result, alarming Reimu.

With a tint of anger, Reimu remarked, "Don't break my shrine with that thing!"

Marisa ignored her as she got the Hakkero out of her hat and began to point it at Ken.

**Ken's POV**  
I awoke, while saying, "AUUGGGGHHHHH!!!! Those were beautiful dreams!"

I began to stretch my arms out of the thin bed I laid on.

"Reimu showing her armpits was arousing" I commented. "but not as good as when Si......"

I paused when a person positioned the Hakkero right in my face. I recognized her as Marisa due to the blonde hair and witch's hat. She looked very angry while blushing at the same time. Right next to her was a shrine maiden, recognizable as Reimu when I saw the detached sleeves on her arms. In my current position, I was surprised but not so much to open my eyes fully.

(Eh? What did I do? Wasn't I sleeping?)

Confused, I asked "This is a stupid question, but why is Marisa threatening to spark me?"


	3. Chapter 2

**Ken's POV**  
My heart somehow skipped a beat when the Hakkero is in front of my face.

I was shocked as I tried to figure out why Marisa is really angry at me..

(What did I do? I was sleeping....oh wait....I was talking in my sleep again wasn't I......still...just because I said Marisa stole the Precious Thing three times doesn't mean I have to get sparked for it. Why would she take offense for it?)

Reimu is smiling for some reason, with ofuda in her hand and gohei in the other when I quickly glanced at her.

(Is she happy that Marisa might kill me or is something else going on? Because when her shrine is in danger of being destroyed, I know that she does not take that lightly...)

I looked back at Marisa just to see her mouth open.

"THE PRECIOUS THING? It was a gift!!!!" Marisa yelled. "How do you know our names, ze?!! TELL ME! Or i will...."

Marisa was getting exasperated, and as a result, her Hakkero started glowing white in the middle.

(Oh shit! I better respond fast....)

"What? Master Spark me? You need to put that down and tell me what did i do to anger you!" I replied. "If you kill me now, you aren't going to get any answers at all."

(Great, I yelled at a loli.)

Reimu giggles a little bit at my tirade as the Hakkero stopped glowing. Marisa lowered it to her lap, still gripping it tightly, while glaring at me angrily.

Marisa: Ok! You better start then!

There was silence in my room as I breathed in to speak.

"Ok, let me introduce myself first. I am Ken, you, the one who almost killed me must be Marisa Kirisame, and the other girl with the ofuda and the gohei, also caretaker of this shrine and the Hakurei Border must be Reimu Hakurei. I know who you people are from the outside world." I revealed, while looking directly at Reimu.

Reimu didn't have any tint of surprise nor emotion on her face. I looked at Marisa, who looked bewildered, not expecting an outsider like me to know this. "Then, how does an outsider know who we are? There is a border for a reason, and it's to keep people out like you." Reimu calmly said.

"You people are in a series of games made up by a very drunk underweight person." I responded.

(That's the cold hard truth)

"Do you expect us to believe that..."

"Ok then Reimu, How else am I going to know that this land of Gensokyo is surrounded by the Hakurei Border that separates this land  
from the rest of the world. I have never even been in here before." I argued, interrupting Reimu.

Reimu's eyebrows went up, she opened her mouth again to speak but no words came out.

**Reimu's POV**  
(How does this outsider know this?)

(He can't possibly know all this with games especially with the border intact.)

(In fact, how does this person knows about us and supposedly makes games about us?)

(Then again, a string of incidents has been happening, with the most recent one being my hair turned black when I sealed her...)

(What could his power be? He can't possibly........)

(Wait, how does he know we are in a border, unless......)

(Impossible, i have been monitoring it...there has been no fluctuations going on in the border. Never hurts to check though.)

Quickly, I stood up and ran out of the shrine leaving my gohei. Then I flew up to check on the border.

(He owes me for the bandages, i know that, and i don't intend to let him go without pay..)

**Ken's POV**  
Reimu runs off as i sit up with Marisa looking at Reimu flying up outside the shrine for no reason.

"If she thinks the border is gone, she's wrong." I remarked.

(At least that's what I think...)

Marisa looks at me and blushes, she stutters as she looks like she can't come up with anything to say.

(Well what are you waiting for? Where's that childish confidence you have?)

"I...I...I...I..I am sorry, ze." Marisa apologized.

(That's right, you better....wait what?)

(Why are you apologizing? That's not something you would do...)

I was immediately confused at her statement, not knowing the reason behind her apology.

(I need to find out...this sudden characteristic change of Marisa isn't helping me out.)

"So~. What did i exactly do to anger you?" I asked.

"You said I stole the precious thing....but...I..this Hakkero wasn't stolen." Marisa responded.

(Then why would you apologize? Oh wait, it was about their identity..never mind.)

(So you went ahead and assumed it was the Hakkero that I thought you stole? Do you even think of yourself as a thief?)

(Wait, how does she know I said that?)

"Ohhh, wait were you watching me sleep?" I asked. "Because I do tend to say everything in my sleep."

"Well, ze. You just fell from out of nowhere and Reimu didn't want to play." Marisa answered.

(I don't like how you use the word play..)

Marisa glances at a green stain on her blouse, before looking at me again.

"It took a while before Reimu decided to put you in a spare futon and fix you up especially with your head bleeding and all, ze. She was actually about to just sweep you into the grass before I noticed a pool of blood below your head. You made me spill tea, but its Reimu's so I don't care."

(That explains the green stain on your blouse. Hmph. Lazy-ass shrine maidens these days.)

(Wait? My head bleeding? Since....)

I immediately touched my forehead and i noticed there was a bandage on my forehead. I felt all over the bandage with my right hand as I noticed it was wet everywhere on the bandage.

"You were bleeding a lot, ze!" Marisa exclaimed.

(Yeah that does explain why my bandage is somehow wet.)

(However, that does not explain why my head was bleeding instead of getting a concussion from hitting the damn ground!)

(Damn unrealistic fantasy land.)

It seems Marisa is brightening up a little bit before she fell sullen again.

"The Hakkero was a gift from......." Marisa began.

(Wait, I know this one...it was from that one Curiosities of Lotus Asia book I read...)

"Rinnosuke, right?" I interrupted.

Marisa was initially taken surprise at first, then calms down a bit.

"Yeah, ze! Wait how do you know?" she interrogated with a very scary face.

"The book made by the same drunk guy" I answered.

"Uuuu~ Drunk outsiders must be really smart then!" Marisa exclaimed while grinning at me.

I was struck in disbelief at her statement as I shook my head constantly, confusing Marisa.

(It's not like that at all! You never know what fantasies ZUN is thinking of, especially if he is drunk!)

"Oh yeah. Kourin let me have the Hakkero even if he worked for my family some time ago, ze~. It lets me use a spell without giving away my life-force" Marisa added.

(Kourin must be Rinnosuke. Of course, that one signature spell.)

"Master Spark, is it? That signature spell that you stole from Yuuka Kazami?" I asked.

Marisa went from sad to angry as she glared at me.

(Note to self: Don't associate the word steal with Marisa)

"What?! How do you know I stole..er...borrowed it from....never mind I didn't steal it from her!!! All I did was walk into her home, and asked to borrow her spell." Marisa vehemently argued.

(Good thing you didn't finish the first part, I didn't want to explain again.)

(Walking into her home and asking just like that? Bullshit!)

"Jeez, Sorry!" I said. "So you just go into people's homes and ask for it?"

(No matter how bull that is.)

"Yeah, ze! I thought it was a really cool spell, daze~. Even though I don't get why that youkai wanted it to be life-force draining in the first place" Marisa said.

After i heard that statement, i chuckled a bit as Marisa blushes and averted her eyes somewhere else..

(No duh it's life-force changing, it is the Master Spark.)

**Marisa's POV:**  
(This.....outsider knows who I am and what I did in the past..even if it wasn't that long ago.)

(Why is my heart beating so fast? Nothing exciting is happening. All I am doing is talking to this outsider.)

(Am i....no...not for this outsider...)

I looked at him as he looks up at the ceiling taking delight in what he is seeing for some reason.

I immediately felt warmth in my cheeks as i somehow became too scared to look at him, averting my eyes to my left.

(Why can't i stare at him without blushing.)

(I am not like this, Why is he the only one, an outsider, i can't.........)

(....Could it be that...he is like...master? He wasn't afraid to speak up for himself and didn't worry about me borrowing...)

(But first, i want to know how he knows me.)

(I want to know more about those games he played that somehow told him who I am.)

(And if he can....replace..)

**Ken's POV**  
(So this is the Hakurei shrine, a-lot less dreary than i imagined it to be. I didn't really expect the floor to be tatami mats though.)

I looked around in amazement, then an epiphany struck me as I suddenly realized

(Oh shit!! I forgot there may be no toliet paper in this world.)

I fell sullen as i thought about how to wipe my ass after business.

(Touhou fans never did drew Touhou characters using the toilet..)

"Hey Ken! How am i exactly involved in these so-called games, da ze~?" Marisa asked suddenly..

The question took me off guard, as I started to remember the games I played with Marisa being the main character.

"Well, you were one of the main characters to pick for playing in the game." I answered. "I picked you, because you were a-lot faster than Reimu and I loved that Master Spark i kept using. You gotta do everything you can to get through the games."

(Even if it means using bombs a-lot, which is looked down a lot in the Touhou community for some reason.)

Marisa's face apparently turned tomato-red while taking off her hat and putting it on her lap, covering her Hakkero. She began twirling her braid around with her right hand.

"Y-Y-You liked being me in the game? But people say I'm clumsy and I liked borrowing a-lot of things...which a-lot of people didn't like for some reason..they could have it back when I'm dead." Marisa hesitantly disclosed.

(There's something weird about how you're saying that sentence.)

(Yeah, You definitely don't give up those Power items until you died.)

"That's exactly the reason i liked being you in the game. You were fast, and can collect stuff faster." I explained.

Marisa said something inaudible under her breath, then she made a toothy grin. Then she suddenly held her arms out and squeezed my sides.

The moeness was just overwhelming as it was very tight. I couldn't kept grinning like an idiot while feeling warmth to my cheeks.

(Oh My God I'M BEING HUGGED BY A LOLI.)

(Maybe Gensokyo won't be so bad.....I just need to figure out the toilet paper problem.)

I felt a warm liquid going through my nose...

(wait, how can i see without my glasses??)


	4. Chapter 3

**Reimu's POV**  
(Strange, the border was normal.)

(There's no other possible way the outsider could have gotten in.)

(At least this is something I don't have to worry about at least. Other than Ken ending up here, nothing else is strange at all. Maybe this is something I don't have to go out and fix.)

(Yeah, I don't have to worry about anything.)

I flew towards my home and landed at the shrine courtyard. I began to walk towards my home as i admired the scenery around me, seeing the stars in the sky.

(Huh? I forgot to clean that up...I should remember to scold Marisa later.)

A plate with tea cups is still remaining. One cup was on its side leaving a puddle of green liquid on the steps with a broom next to it.

(That idiot, just wait till i get my hands on him.)

I lifted the plate off the floor, then I checked the donation box for any money, seeing nothing but the box itself.

(...This has been going on for at least a month now, why can't those youkai that hang around at my shrine go away?!)

I sighed at the thought and shook my head, knowing that probably won't be able to change for a long time.

I began sliding back the shrine's door, then what I saw inside surprised me.

After seeing the lights in the room slowly about to fade away, leaving the shrine in ever-growing darkness.

I saw Marisa, with a smile and a deep blush on her face, tightly embracing Ken.

Ken's arms suddenly went limp and his head became cocked to the side.

(What the? Marisa hugging that idiot? And why isn't he hugging her back?)

(I remember just a few minutes ago, she was mad at him. At least there doesn't have to be any repairs made.)

(I would kill BOTH of them if I had to fix even a little bit of my shrine)

(Huh?)

**Third POV**  
"Huh?" Marisa said.

As soon as Marisa let go, Ken immediately fell to the floor. His eyes were narrow, with his bangs covering them.

A somewhat drunken smile was on his face with a redness, with a nosebleed going down across his chin and dripping to the sides of his cheeks. It was making a small pool of blood by his head.

Marisa turned tomato-red, then giggled at the sight.

Reimu had her hand covering over her open mouth with eyes wide open, being confused and surprised at the same time.

"Why were you hugging him?" Reimu bluntly asked. "I'm pretty sure you were about to kill him when I left."

Reimu no longer covered her hand while her face turned emotionless.

"He said he liked using me in the games, and that's how he found out about me, ze."

Marisa, still looking at Ken, grinned while blushing, twisting her hair with her right hand.

Reimu opened her mouth, however her eyes were wandering around the room as if she was trying to come up with something to say.

"Hey, Marisa. You know you can't just....whatever." Reimu discontinued. "He still owes me for the tea he spilled though."

Marisa looks on the stain on her blouse and realizes that Ken made her spill her tea before thanks to his fall. Her eyes grew wide and her blush is gone.

"Oh that's right I think I'll go home for the rest of the day. I don't want to play anymore, ze."

Reimu rolled her eyes like she doesn't care while Marisa ignored her.

Marisa grabs her Hakkero and puts it on her head, followed by her witch's hat, covering the Hakkero. She stood up and walked towards the door.

She looks at Ken who looked like he really did die happily and giggled while heading outside.

"I'll be back tomorrow to play again, ze!!!" Marisa declared. "Will he be here tomorrow?"

"I don't.....never mind he'll be here, I did say he owes me just a little while ago." Reimu responded.

Marisa nodded, then said, "ok, bye Reimu. I'll see you tomorrow!"

Marisa bent her back to grab her broom by the steps in the Hakurei Shrine and flew off to the air while quickly mounting it.

**Reimu's POV**  
(What's with her sudden interest in Ken?)

I looked at Ken and became disgusted at the sight, seeing a large pool of blood beside him.

(He may not look pretty right now but he sure knows how to calm people down, especially Marisa of all people.)

(Either way, it doesn't matter. What matters right now is that Ken is going to work for me in the time being when he wakes up tomorrow.)

(Wait a second, its dark already?)

I looked outside and confirmed the stars, as they shone brightly against the bleak darkness of the sky.

(Well, i guess it's time for sleep, I'll clean the blood in the morning.)

(I need to change out of these clothes, I hope he doesn't mind sleeping outside.)

(On second thought, I'm too tired to move him...plus it shouldn't matter since he is sleeping.)

I then slided the door closed behind me and turned out the already fading lights in the shrine. I put out another futon then undressed myself except for my sarashi and (japanese underwear).

[A/N: Sarashi is a long winding cloth over a woman's breasts, wrapped around until it completely covers the breasts, like a makeshift bra and to make the breasts seem more humble.]

I got in my futon, then I looked at my armpits, raising my arms.

(What is exactly so appealing about my armpits? Outsiders......strange addictions...)

I lowered back down my arms towards the blanket with my head on the pillow and slept away.

**Unknown POV:**  
(Fufufu, this must be surprising for Ken.)

(hmmm, sure Ken is in his dream world, but that doesn't mean he can probably survive without some items from the human world.)

I planned out what to bring him first as i sit up from my long sleep, contemplating for the rest of the night.

**Third POV:**  
It is now morning as the people in Gensokyo began to wake up and embrace the sun. Humans are seen in the village stretching their arms and basking in the glow of the rising sun.

The trees are clearly seen beautifully with green covering almost all of Gensokyo as the sun's rays began to hit each tree with clashing yellow.

A slight wind shook the trees as the leaves rustle.

Ken, now awakened from fainting, groggily covered his eyes with his hands as the sunlight pierced through the thin sunlight.

**Ken's POV:**  
I became awake, but my eyes are still closed, since I was contemplating what to do.

(Since when did i faint? Oh right the overwhelming moeness of Marisa knocked me out. Did i bleed?)

I checked my face and felt three dried streams of blood all from my nose, making me feel ridiculous. I saw a large pool of blood next to my head as my cheek was also smeared with dark-red blood.

(Wow, that was actually less than when i was just knocked out after seeing a Nitori love confession. I actually had to go to the hospital for that.)

Then i pictured an image of Nitori looked like she was about to fall with the disturbing lack of a Backpack, she was blushing softly with  
her iconic blue hair and Luigi hat. She was saying something in text boxes with a flowery red background.

Again, I almost fell into the state of moe when I realized...

(Ok bleeding isn't going to get me anywhere, I need to look around for a source of water. I look really bloody on my face right now.)

As i looked around, I saw Reimu sleeping on her back on the futon, barely covered by her blanket, leaving her upper body visible.

Her left arm was on her forehead while she had a slight redness on her cheeks, and her right hand was on her stomach. Reimu then began moaning softly, arousing me as a result.

I crawled towards her and stared at her without breathing, my eyes narrowing, my nose almost about to bleed, and my drunken smile.

I was about to degenerate into a statue on her right side when i saw it.

Her right arm was in the way, so i moved it and saw........her armpit.

"HNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGG~" was the last sound I made before I went Moe.

As a result, I fainted on her sarashi, feeling cotton fabric on my left cheek before blacking out.

**Reimu's POV**  
(That was a really bad dream I had.)

(I shouldn't be so helpless against that flower tank again as it somehow attacked me with one of Marisa's spells.)

(I felt hot, then i felt like i was going to disappear, my clothes seemed to disintegrate before me.)

(Then i felt this pressure on my breasts, with blood on them.)

(Wait, why do i still have a pressure on my breasts. I don't think I'm dreaming anymore.)

I opened my eyes, and immediately saw Ken as i looked up, his face buried on my sarashi and bleeding on it too.

(What the....How dare you!)

My emotions quickly turned into consuming anger. My nostrils flared up as my eyes closed into slits.

"Mhh...Mhh...K-K-K-K" I slurred unintelligibly.

*Boom

**Third POV:**  
Reimu screamed at the top of her lungs, shaking Gensokyo like an earthquake, so far that even Aya could hear it at the Youkai Mountain.

Aya immediately sat up in her futon, looking around. She had red eyes, and semi-long messy black hair. She is wearing a white blouse, and a black short skirt. She had black bird wings on her back.

"Ayayaya, what is that noise?" Aya slurred. "Aw well, time to sleep more, I'll try to remember to put this in the newspaper."

Then at the Hakurei Shrine, a door immediately slid open, hitting the wall with a bang. Out came Reimu holding Ken by his shirt collar.

Reimu's face was contorted in fury, her cheeks flushed and her eyes sparkled with ferocity.

"You disgusting Pervert!!!!! How dare you do that to a shrine maiden! Don't ruin my pure blood!" Reimu angrily expressed.

Ken was surprised with is eyes open with his nose bleeding like crazy. A purplish bruise is on his nose.

"What did i do?" Ken replied lazily.

Reimu, angry as a bull, kicked him on his ass towards the ground.

Ken slid on the ground on his forehead while his legs were in the air.

Reimu ran inside quickly into the shrine while Ken recovered, trying to stand up while holding his ass and head at the same time.

"WHAT DID I DO!!!!" Ken yelled.

Reimu then came out again with a broom and threw it at Ken, landing in front of his feet while scraping the courtyard.

"Sweep now!!! or else I will personally SEAL YOU for sexually harassing me!!!" Reimu demanded, stomping her feet for extra emphasis.

Reimu went into the shrine and closed the door quickly, and trying to calm down alone in the shrine.

"What the FUCK!! I don't remember ever wanting to do something like that to you!! You damn miko!" Ken cursed while pumping his fist into the air.

Reimu twitched inside the shrine, and grabbed her gohei.

Ken sat exasperated on the ground next to the broom, he sighed and looked at the sky.

"Oh right, I think I fainted on her boobs because of those sexy armpits." Ken reflected.

With that said, Ken just grabbed the broom, stood up and began sweeping off the dust of the courtyard. He is possibly fantasizing since he was sporting a drunken grin, ignoring the sharp pain coming from his forehead and ass.

Reimu slid open the door to a crack and looked out. She became disgusted at his sight but slightly brightened up.

Reimu shook her head and giggled, while trying to find some clothes in the shrine.

"This idiot pervert is at least doing his job when he obeyed."

She smiles as she unwraps her sarashi, and then rewraps it with a new winding strip of cloth, discarding the old one.

Ken felt a surge of dissappointment going through his body but decided to shrug it away and continue fantasizing, unconsciously sweeping.

Reimu, now with a new sarashi, is now looking at a reflection of herself in a water barrel checking for blood on her skin.

"Maybe i will forgive him for being so....disgusting." Reimu settled. "Maybe if I do the same thing in the human village while carrying my Donation box, would the villagers donate to me in shocking stupidity? Nah, that won't happen. I think only outsiders like Ken do that."

Reimu grinned again, washing away the splat of blood found above her navel. "That would be nice though...I'm so poor..but at least I don't have to do anything for the afternoon."

Reimu washed her face with her wet hands, splashing around the cold water in the barrel.

"I still don't get what Marisa sees in Ken though." Reimu remarked. "Mysterious indeed..."


	5. Chapter 4

**Ken's POV**  
It was really bright out and hot as i swept the dust off of the paved courtyard.

I don't know any other season that is as hot as this.

I heard happy chin-chins and screeches while I swept, since I became tired of blocking out my senses with fantasies.

(Chin-Chins......I wonder if a certain bird knows what she is saying?)

[A/N: Chin means Penis is slang]

I swept my face that was full of sweat, hearing many drops that hit the courtyard.

Doing so in the process, A sweatdrop got in my right eye.

I cringed in pain as I felt a really bad burn in my eye

I covered my eye with my hand, trying to scratch out the sweat.

(Ow. That was worse than when Shampoo accidentally got in my eye, at least its almost gone now..wait a second)

(How am i able to see without my glasses? Oh duh, Its Gensokyo. Shit happens.)

I shrugged my shoulders while I continued thinking about myself being in Gensokyo.

(How will i take a shower? Reimu should have a hot spring? But that doesn't close my pores like a good cold shower does.)

I put the broom upright against the donation box. Then i sat on the steps, done with sweeping.

(What if Yuyuko tries to eat me, I'm pretty sure Youmu can keep her under control...somehow)

(How would i take a shit? I really hope I don't have to wipe my ass with grass...)

(What if a youkai attacks me?)

I had an epiphany, given a sudden realization of one of the most important aspects of surviving in Gensokyo

(Strange. I never have given a thought to flying in the air and using Danmaku. I can't remember how Fanfiction Original Characters learn how to do that.)

[A/N: Danmaku means literally bullet hell, which is an overwhelming number of bullets and fast reaction times.]

(I should of read the Sukima Series more often...but then that washtub joke got really annoying..to the point where even the people in it were breaking the fourth wall about it)

I sighed, regretting not taking notes in the fighting parts

(This calls for desperate measures. It's time to ask a lazy miko for help)

(I know she must be angry at me, but if i want to survive, i have to ask her...I wouldn't like a Shrine Maiden holding my hand throughout this adventure.)

Just when i thought of that, the door behind me slid open, and then I saw a cup of tea laid out in front of me.

"Tea?" Reimu offered.

(Well this is a surprise. She offered me tea when i got her angry in the first place. I thought she doesn't forgive people easily. I do hope this tea isn't laced with anything..)

"Thanks." I said.

Then i took the tea with my hands and held it very carefully, since it doesn't have a grip like most cups do, being just a cylinder.

(Well, I never did like tea. But this one is probably different, time to give it a shot!)

Slowly, I tipped the cup and put it to my lips as I sipped the tea.

My face grew really red and my eyes went wide open. I sweatdropped as i felt like my tongue was burnt with an iron.

(Shit!!!! TOO HOT!!!!)

I immediately spat it out into the tea again, careful not to spit it out in the open, or else Reimu will find an excuse to make me pay for it.

I quickly inhaled air like it was a jet intake, trying to soothe the burn my tongue suffered.

While Reimu is just sitting there nonchalantly drinking her tea sitting right next to me, then she let out a sigh. She was looking down on the courtyard.

(Good, she didn't notice that i spat out the tea.)

"It looks like you have some brains, you idiot." Reimu jeered. "At least you cleaned the courtyard."

I stunned at the fact that she caught me, then I calmed down.

(Good! It was a lot of hard work sweeping invisible dust under a very hot sun!)

I looked at my tea, which was still steaming hot, and decided that I should wait until it's cool.

2 minutes later.......

I decided that my tea was tolerable enough for me to enjoy. I again took a sip but more cautiously.

(Hmmm....not bad.)

It tasted like no other tea before. The taste was really amazing as it wasn't very strong at all and was fresh.

i sighed and relaxed as my posture slouched, reveling in the taste that is tea.

(Jeez, I never knew it was this good.)

"Like it?" Reimu asked.

"Yes." I said.

(I would say it's the best tea I ever tasted but its not worth it saying it to you)

"Looks like the grass around the shrine is a good replacement then." Reimu remarked.

"That's coo....wait what?!"

"I used the water from the spring to mix with the grass to make tea."

I looked inside the tea and indeed i saw little tiny bits of grass spinning around inside the water.

(I wonder if she put some spell on it or something to make it taste better. Because grass being a good substitute for tea is as bull as a Chinese emperor taking random leaves out of a tree and drinking it as tea.)

(Oh yeah, I do hope she says yes.)

Right now, the setting was extremely uncomfortable as it was silent again.

"Hey Reimu, can you teach me how to fly?" I asked.

"No." Reimu flatly rejected immediately after I asked.

"Why?"

"Too much work."

(Well, her laziness just gone up to a whole new level.)

"You really are a lazy miko" I stated.

Reimu twitched and then glared at me.

"Excuse me? So what? I'm not a good teacher, go ask Marisa" Reimu retaliated angrily.

(She really didn't think that sentence through. Is your laziness so burdening it kills your brain cells out of pure laziness?)

"That would be a great idea, but then i have no idea where she lives" I retorted.

"Just go down this path until you see two houses in the distance, Marisa's house is the one with many mushrooms nearby" Reimu revealed. "Its an hour away by flight."

(Marisa sure likes taking shrooms. I wonder if people already drew her being high....wait WHAT?!)

I was finishing my tea when I heard Reimu say the last part, then i sprayed the rest into the open. As a result, I angered Reimu who quickly glared at me and slapped me.

(OW! Bitch!)

"You're paying for that!" Reimu declared.

"Paying for what? Grass?" I responded, being irritated at Reimu's stinginess.

Reimu opened her mouth to talk, then she just sat looking at her tea, closing her mouth.

(Mhmmmmmmm that's right bitch.)

"Anyway, you forgot i can't fly, do you realize how long it would take by walking?" I continued.

"Just go! At least you now know where Marisa lives" Reimu yelled, while looking away.

"GOD!" I yelled.

Exasperated, i walked out into the stairs leading to the shrine, and descended down as the shadows of the trees cover me. I took the cup with me when Reimu noticed.

"Hey! Give that back!" she complained.

Annoyed, I turned around and threw the cup at her quickly, hitting her in the stomach.

"And no wonder people don't donate to you!!! You are a stingy and bitchy host!!! I announced into the air.

"What did you say you Outsider!?" Reimu responded.

(I think I shouldn't have said that.)

I heard impending footsteps coming that got louder with each step. As a result, I quickened my pace and ran down the stairs. I almost tripped on my way down, barely managing to catch my footing. I saw the ofuda whiz past me as they stuck to the ground.

(Holy.....crap!)

I felt something hit my back as it made several clinks on the ground as I finally reached the end of the stairs.

I felt it was appropriate now to look back while running on flat ground, and I did so.

Reimu had anger written all over her face as the thing that hit me on the back was her gohei, that sat by the stairs down the hill.

(Seriously, I thought she was too lazy to respond to insults like that.)

(Note to self, don't mix greedy with Reimu)

I proceeded into the forest still running with my adrenaline supporting me now, becoming more and more winded.

Reimu:Spirit Sign! Fantasy Seal!

(Ah shit!)

I looked back and saw 7 colorful orbs following me like homing missiles.

I almost hit a tree while I was looking back as I ran as fast as I could while dodging trees, becoming exhausted.

(I should have joined track and field. My aerobic endurance is not so good.)

6 minutes later, My stamina can not keep up at the speed i am going.

There were no trees in my way so far, so I looked back, and it looks like the orbs are still homing in on me.

(Are you serious? Reimu doesn't take insults lightly, she needs to take it easy...like I have to right now.)

I stopped and fell on the floor, severely weakened by my sprint. I hyperventilated while my vision got really blurry. I felt like I was going to throw up.

The orbs were just about to hit me from above when all of a sudden, they each imploded into a big explosion. They let out a small shockwave for each ball, literally whipping me in the face from the sudden air-burst.

"ARGH~!

(I guess.....I escaped Reimu's revenge....for now)

The thought sent shivers down my spine, giving me an ominous feeling.

**Reimu's POV:**  
After my spell card timed out, I sat down where i was at the top of the hill stairs and sighed. The shadows of the trees covered half of my body.

(God. That idiot, he doesn't understand how much i am struggling.)

(I hope i never see him again, seeing as he escaped my Fantasy Seal.)

(If he does come back, he will have hell to pay!!!)

I walked back into the spring in frustration behind the shrine in order to relax, as I contemplated Ken's punishment.

(Will the whip and candy approach work on Outsiders like Ken?)

**Ken's POV**  
I lied down on the ground exhausted, as thoughts concerning my recent experience clouded my brain.

(Shit, I am so damn tired. Reimu is one crazy bitch!!!)

(I never had to run that much before, and I hope I never do again, my throat feels really dry.)

(Although, I never thought I could escape homing colorful balls. I don't think I would be comfortable around Reimu if she starts using phallic attacks.)

(Wait where am I?)

I looked around and saw that i was actually laying on grass, straying away from the path because of Reimu's failed revenge.

The sunlight glistened on the leaves of trees everywhere as i sweated many drops into the grass.

I must be in the forest of magic as i can see Youkai in the distance...ignoring me.

My footsteps bear a mark as my feet began to look green.

(Huh, must be the grass)

I began to stand up and try to walk, my feet hurting every step as i breathed heavily.

I tried to hum the Bridge People No Longer Cross but it was too much for me right now.

(I think I don't need this bandage on my head anymore. It's only making me sweat more)

I felt around my head as I stopped walking until I felt a little bowtie.

I quickly untied it as the bandages came off, making a small ripping sound as I brought it around the head until they fully came off.

I put my hand on my forehead to wipe off the sweat and immediately felt a small scar on my forehead.

(Great. I got a beauty mark.)

I felt a gurgling sensation in my stomach and then my ass gets a weird feeling like something is trying to push out.

(Oh no.)

**Third POV:**  
Meanwhile, at Ken's house:

It was raining very hard outside in daylight as a rip in space appeared.

A woman and a nine tailed woman appear out of a gap with pink bowties with many eyes in the gap into Ken's room. It was neat and organized in Ken's room as the bed had folded blankets and neatly arranged pillows. The bed had end tables on each side, and both have lamps with a bunch of books sitting in stacks with drawers open.  
"Fufufu, my boy seems to know how to clean up really well." Said the unknown woman.

The unknown women has dark golden eyes, long blond hair, carrying a pink parasol, wearing a pink and purple dress, and a pink mop hat with a thin red ribbon tied in the front.

"It would seem that Chen could follow his example now as the perfect moment, but you decided to not reveal that yet now until that phase....mistress" Said the nine-tailed woman.

The other one has yellow eyes, golden brown hair, wearing a pink two-tailed hat with many amulets with fox ears hidden under her hat, and nine poofy fox tails wearing a blue and white outfit

"I agree. This would be a good example for Chen, Ran. But for now, we must search this house periodically for subtle gifts. but be careful, his family must be in this home looking for him." Warned the unknown mistress.

Ran sighed as her mistress slyly avoided explaining the last part.

"TRINH!!!! WHERE YOU NOW!!!!" Echoed a large voice.

Footsteps ominously come closer to Ran and the unknown mistress as they became alarmed.

"Quickly Ran!!!! Into the breach!" urgently whispered the unknown mistress.

They both step into a gap that the mistress mysteriously opens as it closes. Then another one opens below the bed with a yellow eye covering the darkness.

The door was slammed open into ken's room and comes his mom, wearing a green towel wrapped around her head, and a purple sweater with sweatpants.

"Where that boy now!!! He no want Phu?! He gone for one day now!" asserted the loud and shrill voice.

The door slammed closed as the person soon storms out of the house with an umbrella to ask her neighbors in cookie cutter housing style where her son is.

The gap closed and then another gap opened, with Ran and her unknown mistress coming out.

"Thank you mistress for warning us" Thanked Ran.

"Fufufu, You're welcome. The voice we heard didn't really take Ken's disappearance so well does she?" Joked the Unknown Mistress.

The mistress then steps out, opened the previously slammed door, and goes into the bathroom right across Ken's room. She comes back with a roll of toilet paper.

"I heard humans use this to help with certain matters. So tushy and humble this thing is." said the Unknown Mistress

The mistress squeezed the roll a couple of times with her hands before opening a gap and sending the toilet paper in.

"Now hurry and gather up his things and put them in our house. I will make him live in Gensokyo no matter what." declared the UM.

"What is your purpose for forcing him that way, My Mistress?" asked Ran.

"Fufufufu. You don't need to know yet Ran" UM responded.

"As you wish."

Ran sighed as her Mistress avoided her question.

The mistress begins to raid Ken's Ar-moire for his clothes, opening the drawers and takes out whatever she could find, and then opens a gap to dump them in.

"My, My, what strange clothing these humans wear" joked UM.

Ran giggled a little bit, laughing at her Mistress's childish remark.

The mistress stretches a pair of briefs with her hands back and forth before sending them directly to her house.


	6. Chapter 5

**Ken's POV**  
(Fuck, What do i do?)

I leaned against a tree crossing my legs hoping to stop that pushy feeling in my ass while my stomach grumbles, giving me a dull but annoying pain.

I looked down and remembered i was wearing blue athletic shorts down to my knees with briefs with a yellow Aeropostale shirt.

My shirt had dirt stains on the back when I fell down on the ground and it was also wet from the sweat I made while running.

(I can't leave shit stains on my pants.)

(I don't want to dirty my clothes any more. They are the only clothes I got.)

(I would not enjoy wearing a fundoshi.)

[A/N:Fundoshi is what sumo wrestlers wear at a match, also serves as underwear.]

(I need to at least find some privacy in this forest if i am going to do business.)

I lazily glanced around in the forest, then seeing some bushes in a circle with a tree to the north.

(PERFECT!!!)

(But how will I wipe it off...)

Just when I thought of that, something soft and plushy immediately bounced off my head as it landed in the grass next to the tree roots of the tree I was leaning against.

It was white and left a streak of white paper on the ground.

(T-T-Toilet Paper??!!!)

I was shocked by the sudden appearance of the familiar tissue.

(Eh? This has got to be an illusion!)

I blinked once, skeptical of the possible hallucination, and it was still there as I grew elated.

(Oh my god....I think it's calling for me....my ass is calling for it.)

I quickly scooped up the toilet paper and hugged it, ripping off the dirtied streak and discarding it.

(And it came at the right time too!!!)

I walked into the bushes and went ahead to do my business while making sure i used very little toilet paper.

I came out of the bushes triumphant, holding up the toilet paper Lion-King style.

(Oh god that felt really good. I didn't have to use...leaves from trees.)

(Now what the hell was i doing other than being chased by Reimu's Balls....)

I almost chuckled at that thought while holding the toilet paper at my side.

(Oh yeah, Marisa's house. Reimu made me go astray so maybe I should find my tracks and go back to the path I was on.

I backtracked, following my faint footsteps, until I ended up on a paved path, meeting the cold hard surface of stone.

(Weird, I did not notice any droppings on the grass yet, does people or youkai in Gensokyo ever feel the need to go?)

[A/N:Youkai is a term mostly associated with Japanese folk creatures and ghosts.]

I proceeded onward down the path, almost seeing no end to it.

5 hours later....

I was still walking, my feet ached in pain from overwalking.

The sky turned to sunset as i saw the rays go through the leaves and hitting me, as the path slowly became more dilapidated, turning into dirt and bricks.

(Of all the.....I really wish I had shoes now.)

I saw black burn marks all over part of the path whereas it was only brown dirt, no bricks, as the marks turned more and more numerous. Above it was a huge clearing of air, surrounded by leaves.

(Doesn't danmaku bullets make marks if they hit the ground?)

Deeply in thought, 5....no....6 bird looking ravenous youkai appeared in front of me from the trees and surrounded me, breaking me in my train of thought and surprised me.

One of the youkai was standing out, she had grey eyes, short pink hair, pointed ears like an owl, and light pink bird-like wings with purple highlights. She was in white and brown clothing with an apron and a small hat. The hat and dress contained numerous bird-shaped ornaments.

(She looks awfully familiar..)

"Chin Chin Chin Chin Chin Human Chin Chin Chin Too Tired Chin Chin Chin Feeding Time!!!" said the youkai.

She suddenly flew up into the air, soon leaving me with five hungry youkai.

(What the? They look hungry, and it seems they have a leader, who seemed to order them to eat me....i wonder if Rumia is as stupid as them...they did have the element of surprise, so that's good for them.)

Each youkai unleashed a five-way blue circle bullets, before leaping up in the air.

I went prone on the ground, dodging all and barely grazing one bullet while they collided with each other.

(Crap i was never good at super-grazing!!!)

Then I looked up and rolled to my left, noticing 4 waves of danmaku hitting the ground where i was at.

I stood up and saw the youkai and their disappointed faces, before they all sneered.

(Wait..what's with that ominous-looking face...if there were 4 waves, where's the last one? Aren't they all hungry?)

Unaware, 5 bullets struck me in the back, one on my arm and the rest on my back.

(Crap....This really hurts..)

The pain was unbearable as it felt like a very hot drill going into your skin for each bullet.

My mind went wild for 10 seconds before I finally calmed down, looking at the youkai licking their lips, while I still suffered from the burning sensation on my skin.

(I need to figure out how to retaliate.....fast!!!!)

I took a leap back again to dodge the five waves of danmaku. Then i jumped to my right as the bullets came to the ground and left a black burn mark.

5 minutes later, they were still doing the same pattern as i kept leaping around briskly, they seemed to decrease the cool down for each repetition of the pattern.

I was sweating, winded from jumping around, but successfully dodging the bullets.

(Shit.....I can't keep this up, I'm going to tire out.)

I dodged the five waves, while breathing heavily, before I was struck immediately by 5 bullets on my back.

"ARGH~!" I screamed in agony.

I dropped to the ground, no longer spurred to dodge as my body was just too tired, as I try to withstand the pain from the oncoming bullets.

Throughout the pain, each bullet seemed to sap my energy as they hit my skin, overloading my senses with pain.

(Crap..One day in Gensokyo and I'm done for.....I rather deal with a bitchy shrine maiden than die at what Reimu would call easy.)

I tried to crawl away on the path, but then I felt feet hitting my back, forcing me into the ground.

(This can't be the end of me already...)

I saw the four youkai land in front of me and started to menacingly walk toward me with their bared teeth and eyes open wide.

Soon my vision became blurry when they were only about five feet away, the feet now perched and piercing into my back with the claws.

Before i lost consciousness, I remembered a shaking of the ground and hearing a "whir" sound.

(What the? Where am i?)

I found myself in a simple grassy plain full of flowers while I saw a big blue butterfly flapping in the air.

With a strong unknown urge, I chased the butterfly with my hands outreached, not really caring for what else is going to happen.

Then the butterfly ended up in my hands, finally catching it, while it was flapping its wings as though it was happy.

Then I started to fall as the butterfly ended up floating in the same spot.

I looked where i was falling to and I saw water below me, violently crashing into huge jagged rocks extending from the water towards me.

"AH~!" I screamed.

(Oh god, why is this happening?! I don't want to get punctured!)

As soon as my skin made contact with the rocks, I woke up in a rush.

I leapped up from the bed provided for me into the ground, while hitting my head on the cold floor.

(Now where the hell am i?)

Then i saw a light flashed before me and it stayed on. A red afro guy with white makeup with red lipstick came out of nowhere to face me.

"Hehehe I'm lovin' it" He said in a pitched but menacing tone.

I noticed i was trapped.....now I was bounded to the floor, unaware of how that happened so suddenly.

I struggled against whatever binded me to the floor, but my body wouldn't listen to me.

(Is this Sleep Paralysis? I do not like the situation right now.)

The afro guy got closer and closer to my face as his Mcdonald shirt came in contact with mine.

(NO homo!! No homo! no Homo!!)

**Marisa's POV**

I happily rode on my broomstick on my way to the Hakurei Shrine, which was getting closer.

(I can't wait to play with Reimu, ze!)

I giggled, suddenly thinking of the outsider Ken.

(and Ken!!!!)

I felt warmth rushing to my cheeks at that thought as I landed on the courtyard of the Shrine.

Reimu was just sitting there on the donation box not doing anything, she was just looking at the ground.

(I didn't think Reimu could do anything more boring...but she looked sad..Time to cheer her up!)

I ran up to Reimu, who was playing with her fingers.

"Hey, Reimu~! I came to play, ze~!" I happily cheered.

Reimu groaned, not even bothering to look at me.

(Come on Reimu~!)

"What's wrong, ze? Where's Ken?" I asked.

"What did you say!" She yelled.

Reimu glared at me angrily while I backed off by the tone and loudness of her voice.

"Come on Reimu! Where is he?" I said, impatient, not scared of Reimu.

Reimu angrily kicked the box very hard with the back of her left foot, still threateningly glaring at me.

"He's looking for YOU.....you only came here to see him did you?" Reimu said bitterly.

I gulped at those cold words.

(That was my only reason...)

(Oh no.....Reimu's not happy...)

"He tried to come to my house for me, ze?" I asked.

Reimu sat still, before slowly nodding.

"Yes, he wanted me to teach him how to fly but then it was too much work so i told him to go to you for help" she said. "T-Then.........He called me a stingy and bitchy host."

"Well, i don't blame him, you jump at every possible sound of money." I said. "You also complain a-lot about stuff."

(Uh-oh)

(I shouldn't have said that...)

Reimu glared up at me angrily, making me flinch, but then tried to calm down with a few deep breathes.

"I am not.......but i am so.." Reimu trying to explain.

Reimu became silent for a while before continuing.

"I realize I was foolish for kicking him out of my shrine into the Forest of Magic without anything to protect him" Reimu admitted.

[A/N:In order to not disrupt reading, open the music link in a new window or tab by right clicking on it.]

"You did what?" I responded, shocked.

(But you know the Forest of Magic is also full of dangerous youkai!)

"I then tried to kill him with my orbs when he got me really irritated. I got angry when they didn't hit anything and I just sat here after relaxing in the spring." Reimu continued.

"....Reimu....." I said.

(No.....why?)

"You need to save him now.....I don't know how much longer he has to live right now. It's been like five hours i suspect, and I don't feel like getting up after what I just done" revealed Reimu.

My eyes grew wide, gripping my broom very tightly as i mounted it and headed in the other direction.

"Thanks Reimu!! Now to save him, ze!!" I yelled.

I left a despondent Reimu behind as I flew up into the air.

A teardrop came from my eyes as it went down my cheek.

The sunset streaked across the sky as the color of the ground turned somewhat yellow and green..

(No, I don't like...that idiot. I just want to save him for Reimu....but.....)

I tried to block out my thoughts as I focused on looking at the forest.

I saw a clearing of trees, as I flew above it and looked in.

Then i saw Ken on the ground with bird youkai in front of him looking like they was about to eat him, one was perched on his back, creating a pool of blood below Ken.

(NO!!!! I DON'T WANT HIM TO DIE!!!)

I was taken aback by that statement, but I pushed it aside, concentrating on the situation below.

I immediately took out my Hakkero from under my hat.

"Stop, ze! Love Sign! MASTER SPARK!!!" I yelled.

A wide white beam with ring insignias emanated from it, propelling forward to the youkai and also pushing me back.

(I didn't need to....but they were about to....)

(Please...don't die Ken....)

I didn't care about rejecting him from myself any longer, i wanted to save him.

The youkai vanished into black dust as i immediately rushed to him.

(I hope I'm not too late....)

He was on the ground, his arm and back bleeding, while the claws was embedded in his back.

(why....why...he was only.....NO!)

I took the claws out one by one, only increasing the bleeding as I put him on my back before getting on my broom, immediately going towards my house.

(He's not going to die......I will save him!)

3 minutes later.....

I arrived at my house and threw the broom aside as I quickly went upstairs, maneuvering through junk before laying him on my bed.

(Please....No..)

His chest wasn't rising nor descending.

i grasped the bedsheets and gripped them in a tight fist.....wrinkling them, as it became stained with blood.

Teardrops came from my eyes as I grabbed his hand....it felt cold....sending shivers down my back.

(No no no...Master...er...Ken....isn't going to die.)

I gripped his hand tightly.....my hat fell off onto his chest when I leaned over.

My teardrops reached his shirt, while his hand felt even colder.

(If you......I will...)

I leaned closer to him.....his eyes closed....his hair messy...and his mouth slightly open...

I felt warmth rush to my cheeks as my eyes was almost closed as well, with teardrops landing on his face, and my forehead touching his...

(Marisa no, what are am i thinking)

(There's medicine to revive him.....but what if he...)

My nose began to brush against hers...

(I want to.....before..)

His lips felt cold.....i breathed into him for him to live, even if it wasn't the real reason...

I held on longer...hoping to save him....

I cried onto his face...

A magical euphoric feeling went through me as i relaxed....no longer breathing in air..

Then i felt it.....

I opened my eyes wide as i shy away from his head and put my head on his chest.

(His...His...heart is beating..)

I lifted my head off of him and looked at Ken.

(Is he.....)

I put my head closer to his..

A cool breeze brushed my lips as I smiled.

I nudged in my head closer as my cheeks touched his, and my mouth was next to his ears...

"Please...don't go away so suddenly....like master.......Mima." I whispered tenderly to his ear.

I shy away from his head again, while blushing heavily.

(Sacrifice....could it be love that sparks from it?)

(Errrr.....I should probably bandage him up now.)

I looked at him and giggled....my heart was racing..and it was nodding in his direction.

(I...I...)

I got off his bed no longer worried as I sat up and walked to the door. I then opened it, walked out, and closed it.

(......)

I opened a crack in the door and peeked in....

(He looks so peaceful....)

I then blushed heavily as I was relieved...finally done....saving him....

(...I wish Master was still here....)

The last teardrop came from my face as i walked downstairs...thinking of him.

**Ken's POV**

I immediately sat up frightened, breathing deeply.

(Never again do I want Ronald Mcdonald in my dreams about to......ugh..)

I believe I am back in reality now, even if the room I am in seemed to be cluttered with books and long lost treasures of the world.

(Where am I? Is that Holy Grail on the ground? and a crystal skull on a desk?)

Out of the corner while looking around the room in awe, I saw....Marisa's hat....a typical witch's hat...on my thighs.

I picked it up and stared at it, feeling warmth coming to my cheeks, then I stroked it lightly.

(I don't like her......do I? What is her hat doing here?)

I thought methodically as i held the hat to my chest.

I tried to remember what happened before I blacked out..

(I remember a shaking of the ground and a loud whir. While something was piercing against my back...what does a shaking of the ground and a loud whir mean?)

While I was thinking, A door swung open, kicking the Holy Grail out the window, with no glass shattering.

(What the fuck? Has that been kicked out before? Everybody must love Christian treasures.)

"KEN!"

I quickly twisted my head, almost wincing at the pain caused by my sudden neck twist, as I saw a girl in a black and white blouse.

(Woah, Marisa?)

"Marisa?" I asked.

She smiled while she closed the door behind her.

I immediately recognized her from the braid she had on the left side of her face with a red tie.

(Yep that's her.)

She quickly ran over to me, careful not to step and trip over the clutter she apparently collected and leaped towards the bed, exclaiming a little bit of pain with an "Ow".

The bed was actually one that you would find in a Barracks but without the bunk at the top.

(Hmmm..Marisa is a little bit more spartan.....I did not expect that.)

Then she squeezed me in a hug so tight that it would have a toad squished in a matter of seconds.

She got really close to my face, my cheek was touching hers as warmth rushed to my cheeks once again.

"Ken, You're alive, ze" she whispered into my ear. "I...."  
I almost went moe from her words were it not for the fact that i was hurting all over.

It appears that something else soft that pushed against my skin, but I couldn't look what it was because of Marisa squeezing me.

"Mar.......Can't.......Breathe!" I interrupted.

She immediately let go before sitting up on the edge of the bed, relieving me of the snake-like hug, which I appreciated.

"Sorry, daze!" Marisa apologized.

I looked at her and saw that she was wearing a black and white blouse without her iconic witches hat, part of her hair somewhat unkempt as some strands of her hair were curved upwards.

She was blushing a little bit as she averted her eyes while her fingers are touching each other, smiling.

(Could it be...)

"Marisa, did you save me from those youkai?" I asked.

"Yep, ze!!! You were on the ground bleeding and they were about to eat you, so i sparked them." Marisa answered

"But how did you know i was about to die?"

"I don't know, i was going back to my house after Reimu said you went to my house for easy lessons."

(Easy Lessons???? BULL)

I noticed there were teardrops coming from her as she began to tell me what happened through her Point of View.


	7. Chapter 6

**Ken's POV**

(Oh my god...)

I looked straight at Marisa, as she was about to wrap up her flashback, engrossing me. She is still averting her eyes towards the ceiling.

Marisa continued, "I then went outside to Kourin's for some bandages, I actually paid them myself...umm...because...."

Marisa blushes red on her cheeks, before looking into my eyes with hers.

"I didn't want your _bandages_ to be like the rest...." admitted Marisa.

Marisa hugged me again but not as tight as before, even if it is painful.

"I wanted them to be special..." whispered Marisa into my ear.

Marisa then pulled back with a weak toothy grin while she scratched the back of her head with her left hand.

"I didn't have enough time to think about how to swipe those bandages anyway, ze!" I said.

I smiled and chuckled a bit, wincing at the pain in my chest.

(Is she......i thought she was inconsiderate to others....she did act that way towards Reimu and me when i dropped in but.....)

(Why was she talking to me like this now? She isn't as straightforward as what ZUN designed her to be before.)

(Did i really worry her that much?)

"Ken? Are you ok?" asked Marisa.

My train of thought was interrupted, I didn't notice I was still staring at her while I was thinking.

"Huh? oh..umm..yeah?" I hurriedly replied.

Marisa giggled a little bit at my response along with a slight blush with a smile. I laid back on the bed, noticing dry bloodstains on it. I put my hands behind my head with my elbows sticking out, while I look at Marisa.

(Woah...is this my blood? That's a lot, even more than when I nosebleed.)

"I then bandaged you up and decided to leave you in my bed.....I slept on the couch downstairs....

She stopped for a bit as she began twirling her braid, blushing pink, and then she looked at me.

(Wouldn't it be a lot more convenient for her if she just laid me on the couch instead?)

She poked my bandages with her middle finger of her right hand, careful not to put too much pressure, then went ahead and stroked them lightly.

"I was hoping for your recovery...especially since this was the first time I had to heal someone." said Marisa.

(Marisa......do you really care for me that much?)

(I'm surprised I didn't go moe yet. Very surprising indeed...)

Then I remembered the bird youkai shooting me, ordered by one that stood out.

(Who was that mysterious person..)

(Why did i follow that stupid Reimu's advice..)

I then looked outside, light streaked in through the windows as one of them shone on Marisa....

She was.....radiantly beautiful even though her hair was messy, and her skin shone.

(It's like we are supposed to be together or something..)

I opened my eyes wide at that thought, Marisa began to look confused.

(Me.......that could never happen...it was a desperate situation...but...)

(she was willing to kiss me so i could live..but then anyone could do that. Like people who do CPR..)

(Still..)

"Marisa......do you.....I mean..uhhhh.." I tried to ask.

Marisa looked initially confused, then she became flustered. "What are you saying, ze?! Of course not, it wasn't......we don't....I was..you were about to die so.."

"Oh.....sorry!!!" I quickly apologized.

(Wow, smooth move there Ken.)

Marisa giggled, as she stood up from the bed and looked away towards the door, then she looked back at me with a grin.

"If you want, Then tonight, I think I can teach you how to fly. I'll try.." said Marisa. "Danmaku lessons will have to wait though......I don't think you can handle that right now."

She pointed to my bandages...I nodded, knowing the cause for these bandages was danmaku itself.

"I see, thank you Marisa for....doing this." I said.

"No problem, ze! Just.....don't do anything stupid for me that could get you killed like that...like my...friend." said Marisa.

Marisa stopped and looked down on the floor, then she proceeded to walk towards the door, avoiding the junk that lay on the floor.

But then she stopped suddenly while the door was halfway open, her hand on the doorknob.

"Oh yes, if you want food, get it yourself." said Marisa.

(What?! Aren't I injured?)

"EH~!?" I exclaimed.

"Just because you're injured doesn't mean i am going to do everything for you, daze!"

"But my arm.."

"Use the other one!!!"

She walked out...forgetting to close the door behind her..

I continued to look at Marisa....soon out of sight as she walked downstairs.

(hehe....back to her non-caring side. Even if she did leave me to get my own food when I feel pain at a slight movement.)

I looked at my bandaged arm while shaking my head.

(Damn!!! I really can't learn danmaku like this!!!)

(How am I supposed to make up for this?)  
(Wait a second, I think I'm missing something....something...that was...essential.)

I looked around and saw nothing that seemed relevant to what I am trying to figure out what it was.

(What was I........Oh no)

I immediately fell sullen as it struck me so suddenly...

(What will i do without it? I need it!!!!)

(I'm not sure if most laws from the outside world applies here in Gensokyo.)

(But i am pretty sure Murphy's Law applies here.)

(Shit.......)

I became depressed as I mourned the sudden loss of......toilet paper.

Two hours later.....

"KEN~! GET YOUR FOOD~! I HOPE YOU LIKE IT~!" yelled Marisa.

(God, I know there's at least one similarity between my Mom and Marisa.)

I got off the bed after taking off the bedsheets and jumped out of the bed onto the floor.

I was immediately attacked by nerve-wracking pain as my legs almost gave out over me.

I immediately picked up the Tsurugi Marisa apparently had in her room as support when it was leaning against the bed.

(Where the hell does Marisa get all these things? Do random things just pop out of nowhere like that in Gensokyo?)

The Tsurugi eased my pain, although it still hurts like hell though, as I carried myself through the whole room, painstakingly avoiding the piles of junk collected in the room.

(This hurts worse than when I first picked up guitar. Oh developing callouses were nothing to this.)

I opened the door with my hand of the broken arm while wincing from the pain.

I slowly go downstairs that immediately appeared from the door.

It was very hard for me to descend especially since my whole body shook intensely. This made me go one step at a time on the staircase.

(I think i would have died without this sword.)

I finally made it downstairs and began to walk through a room with...more junk. My posture was like that of an old man with a stick.

(It's a good thing only Marisa is here...)

A couch with a wrinkly blanket was seen in the middle of it. I noticed a darkened side on the edge of the blanket with the pillow.

(So this is where Marisa slept.....giving her bed for me while she slept here......)

I felt warmth reach my cheeks as I made my way through the piles of junk

(Apparently this junk has stuff from my world.)

I chuckled as I saw a bunch of milk cartons and a tape that says "WATERGATE"

(...I didn't think President Nixon's tapes were found here...)

I finally made it to the kitchen...the sink was surprisingly devoid of plates and bowls, especially since the witch keeps the piles of junk in the house but cleans her dishes apparently.

Counters were seen everywhere with cabinets above them. One counter had kitchen ingredients with several shakers and containers.

Another counter had a bowl of mushrooms submerged in water that had a pungent smell to it when I walked by.

(I never did like that smell in my house when my Mom decided to be funny and make the family stuffed mushrooms.)

Then i saw one steaming bowl of rice and.....mushrooms.

The mushrooms looked unsightly to say the least as the crimson and white clashed with the white rice.

Marisa was digging into her bowl, taking delight in the otherwise disgusting looking food.

(Well it can't be worse than Casu Marzu.)

(Ugh... I remember my dad tried to be "original" and introduced unfortunately Casu Marzu to us...and never again did we eat that in the house, my dad becoming less liberal in what we eat.)

(It gave me diarrhea and a really painful stomach for a whole month....the cheese was moving and I could have sworn to saw something leap out of it...Mushrooms...can't be worse than maggot-infested cheese.)

I took my bowl and carried it with my free hand while I used the Tsurugi as a walking stick to the table where Marisa was at.

Judging by her almost empty bowl, i say she likes it....a lot.

I grabbed the chopsticks and a spoon that were in the middle of the room and proceeded to eat the mushroom while I closed my eyes and squeeze my nose to not taste it.

(Luckily, that trick always came in handy, especially since if my Mom would make us crab-cakes.)

The mushroom has an uncomfortable flour feeling in my mouth as i quickly popped in the rice.

I then prepared for the worse as I let go of my nose....

(This.....is.....ok.)

Judging by the taste, the mushrooms were like pig blood you would find in congee, and the rice was nice and moist.

"Like it?" asked Marisa.

"It's good...thank you for the food." I replied.

"You're welcome, ze!"

Then she proceeded to finish her bowl while she carried it to her mouth and tipping it towards her mouth. It was more like Marisa attacking the bowl for every little piece of rice with her chopsticks moving about, making unnecessary noises.

I proceeded to eat the food that Marisa was kind enough to make for me.

(These mushrooms seem to have some kind of sweet taste)

After I have finished my meal, I put it on the counter where Marisa left hers by the sink, she said before she had to leave for shopping.

I slowly made my way back up to the bed in Marisa's room, apparently an attic, and lied down, not without pain.

I put the Tsurugi back to where it was, among other junk whilst leaning against the bed.

(One's loli's trash is another man's treasure.)

(Who knew such a famous sword is such a useful walking stick?)

I smiled and looked up to the ceiling, chuckling at a joke I just made.

(Might as well rest up for the flying lesson)

Then I closed my eyes and counted Mexican sheep crossing the border one by one.


	8. Chapter 7

**Ken's POV**  
I woke up in Marisa's bed, feeling thoroughly groggy and disgusted.

(That was a weird-ass dream.....I keep seeing people doing that Cirno dance, and they are all saying baka baka. And in the middle of all those people was a huge Cirno.)

[A/N:Read on further and you will find out what the mentioned characters look like soon]

(Is it already dark outside? The junk is making it hard for me to see.)

I looked out the window and saw that it was indeed dark as the moon shone outside, barely illuminating Marisa's room.

A clutter of abandoned junk like the Tsurugi, collected the moonlight to keep the rest of the room more darker. Unfortunately there was nothing else that could light up this room.

(Wait a second, I don't feel as much pain as I did before in my injuries.)

The pain on my arm and chest have, thankfully, dulled to a more unnoticeable and faint annoyance.

I squeezed my bandaged arm with my free hand, feeling no pain. I squeezed even harder, getting as painful as a bee sting, and it never went above that.

(Hmm? No pain? Did the mushrooms I eat do the trick?)

With my intense curiosity, I slowly unwrapped the bandages on my arm until my entire arm was exposed.

(Oh my god, it's healed already?! Mushrooms in Gensokyo have really good regenerative qualities.)

I saw that my arm only has a short scar now only in my bicep area with dried blood on it.

I squeezed the wound again with my hand while using even more pressure to make sure I'm not dreaming.

(Don't youkai heal fast when they are sleeping?)

(Wait a second, I'm not a youkai, I haven't died yet.)

(What exactly did those mushrooms? They are supposed to kill you, not do the opposite.)

I imagined myself eating red and white shrooms growing thrice my height and jumping on Mystia Lorelei's head while wearing red and blue overalls.

(hehe what a nice thing to do, considering she hates chicken, but what about my chest?)

I squeezed my stomach with my hand, as soon as I tried to apply pressure, It felt like a chigger itch, so I left the bandages wrapped around my stomach.

[A/N:Chiggers are known for swelling of the infected area and severe itching. When in fact they just burrow in your skin and lay eggs.]

(Ok, at least my limb is healed up now. That really hurts though in my stomach. Like something is being drilled in my stomach.)

I sat up, feeling candid, concluding that eating a mushroom resulting in my speedy recovery.

(Oh yeah, it's time for flying lessons. If I fall in the Forest of Magic, will I make a sound?)

(....If I can fly..)

I got up from Marisa's bed and landed on the floor, to my surprise, I could stand up on my own now without the Tsurugi.

(Well, it's junk now that i don't need it. Or not. I think it's pretty cool I have at least a possible weapon to protect myself with.)

I felt narcissistic for a moment, then I walked around in the room, amazed that I don't need support for this.

(I gotta feeling......that tonight's gonna be a good night. Especially since I am going to learn how to fly.)

(This hopefully does not turn out like E.T.)

While humming along the Black Eyed Peas song, I proudly walked downstairs and went outside, almost tripping on some junk on the way.

I looked at my surroundings, I was just amazed to see the front yard just glistening with moonlight as it looked like someone just sprayed water in the morning.

The trees were making faint shadows as the moonlight pierces through. There was a shadow on its own that was moving, with a black figure to accompany it.

The person was walking towards me, distinctly carrying a bag that had a mushroom picture on it.

I deduced that it was Marisa...as there is no one else who likes to collect mushrooms.

(But who would collect them at night?)

(Well, on second thought, maybe Alice does too...)

Then the black figure confirmed that it was Marisa, she was wearing a black and white blouse with her witches hat and a braid on the side of her face. Her hat happened to have an extra accessory which was a large pinkish ribbon around the hat.

"Hi Ken, ze!!" Greeted Marisa.

"Hahaha, good to see you!" I replied.

Marisa got to about three feet away from me and pointed to my arm with her free hand.

"Hehe it looks like those mushrooms from another world did help." she said.

(What? What other world could possibly have mushrooms with healing properties?!)

"Another world?" I said, beginning to feel uneasy.

"While i was walking back from Kourin's for shopping while you were still in my house, I was met with a bright light in front of me. It was so bright I couldn't see then all of a sudden I found myself in this strange land. It didn't look like the Gensokyo I know." Marisa reflected.

"You weren't in Gensokyo?"

"Yep, ze!! I was stuck in a land full of strangely grinning scenery. I'm pretty sure Gensokyo doesn't have hills that smile back at you. Some guy with green and blue overalls came out of nowhere and pushed me down. He jumped down on my head a lot while I think he keeps saying that he wants to be more brave than Mario or whoever. He also had a green hat with an L."

(Luigi? Isn't Luigi supposed to timid?)

"I think he was trying to kill me because my head really hurts from him jumping on me....So I grabbed his legs, slammed him towards the ground, got out my Hakkero and sparked him. He was really getting on my nerves." Marisa continued.

(Poor Luigi.....He only wanted to be better than Mario.)

"All that was usually left was dust whenever i spark someone, but instead he was still there, badly scarred though. These people in this land are pretty strong I know that."

Marisa then gave a huge toothy grin, looking like she was about to rape someone.

(I really do not like that smile you are giving me.)

"I took his hat after I checked his overalls for anything valuable and borrowed the red and white mushrooms from his hat. He was groaning in pain but I stomped his head to knock him out, ze!"

(I think i did taste a little hair in the mushrooms. You said that quite cheerfully Marisa. QUITE cheerfully.)

"I think I'm going to call them Reimu mushrooms." Marisa said.

(Huh? Why would you want to name them after that greedy Miko?)

"Why?" I asked, curiosity getting the best of me.

"Because they are red and white and they make you more powerful and makes spells easier to cast." Marisa replied.

(Huh....I only remember them making you grow in size. Plus, the only similarity I see between the mushroom and Reimu is the colors. Maybe the mushrooms can be compared to Reimu in power due to Reimu actually being overpowered. But that's all fan stuff)

"Don't they make you grow bigger?"

"They did, daze!! Only in the another world though.....I was actually pretty small when I was in that world. I couldn't fly either."

(Hmmm this sounds familiar. Why do I feel like an idiot for not knowing this?)

"But i could jump higher and float down like a feather, even if my blouse would fly up and I would have to force it down. I keep seeing blocks in midair with a question mark.

(A floating block....Now i feel like a bigger idiot.)

"My gut told me to hit it with my head so I jumped up and prepared my head and then there was another one of those mushrooms. Surprisingly it did not hurt even if it did shatter into bricks."

(This all sounds too familiar. Come on Ken, what do you remember about floating blocks and mushrooms?!)

"I tried eating it since no mushroom could have a fatal effect on me, thanks to my magic, suddenly I grew taller by the second, ze!!!"

"They were the same as the ones in that guy's hat so i went ahead and ate more."

(This has to be related to Mario somehow...I do know the fact that Marisa is a glutton when it comes to mushrooms.)

"I grew to like 3/4's of my height but then they stopped having any more effect so i left the rest in the bag I carried when I was about to get something from Kourin's and explored the land.

"But then I found a mushroom on a beanstalk after attacking blocks with my block breaking head."

I chuckled, making Marisa grow a little red.

"I eat the mushroom-stalk and then i grew up to my original height, ze!" she continued.

(GAHH!!! SUPER MARISA LAND!! NO WONDER!)

"Then there was the same bright light that took me there in the first place after eating another mushroom on a hill and soon, i ended up in Gensokyo. It was night though, and Kourin is probably asleep so I walked back, meeting you here."

(Marisa isn't very cautious now is she? Even if her iron stomach and withstand possibly any mushroom.)

"That was a nice story, but i believe we have other matters to attend to."

Marisa dropped her bag of mushrooms and nodded smiling.

"Oh yeah, ze!!! The easy flying lesson!" Marisa exclaimed.

I twitched at that realization, while shaking my head.

(Easy my ass....)

"Ready to learn, ze?!" asked Marisa in a cheerful tone.

"Yup! Let's see how EASY this truly is?" I said.

(What a farce....)

I gave a thumbs up.

Marisa giggled at my sudden gesture.

"Okay, now its easy because it is natural in Gensokyo. All you have to do is to just fly." said Marisa.

(Huh? That doesn't make sense.)

(That wasn't quite the lesson i expected)

"Umm..are you saying that i should just will myself to fly because its natural? Then why don't the humans in the human village fly?"

Marisa nodded at the first part of my sentence. "Because you're special, now go ahead and fly, ze~!"

"Ok if you say so" I said, again feeling uneasy.

I decided to get a running start, going to attempt to fly over Marisa's home from the side.

(Ok Ken. All you gotta do is will yourself to fly. That's all. Nothing else should distract you.)

Then i sprinted as fast as I could and jumped.

"UP UP AND AWAY!" I yelled, flying in the air.

I was given a rude awakening..

I slammed into Marisa's house like something that would only happen in a cartoon. I then slid off like a pancake and landed on my back.

My face was flattened, and my stomach was giving off the chigger itch.

"OW~!" I screamed.

I looked to my side and saw Marisa who was just laughing like crazy, she was holding her stomach.

I slowly got up and walked over to her, cringing at the pain, and looked at her sternly while shaking my head.

"Not funny" I said in a flat tone.

She struggled to stop laughing and then looked at me.

"Ze?" she squeaked.

Marisa put her hand in her bag of mushrooms and took out one that was blue and yellow.

"Err..umm..here eat this mushroom.....it should help...." said Marisa.

(This better not be poisonous, I got nothing to lose though.)

I grabbed it from her when she held it out, quickly popped it in my mouth, and chewed it slowly while still glaring at her.

(Hmm..It's sour.)

Then I got a massive vibration going across my body from top to bottom, giving me major goosebumps.

(It's like some ghost is possessing my body or something.)

"WHOA!" I yelled.

(This had better work.)

I then ran backwards to help me get a running start, this time facing in the direction of the Hakurei Shrine.

(Here goes nothing...)

I ran and then I leaped in the air, believing with all my heart[cheesy] that i can fly.

Not only did i did manage to fly, but i zoomed through the air, catching me off guard.

(Hell, i wasn't even concentrating, i just willed and it did!)

I think I am zooming too fast because i must be at mach 2 by now, my cheeks are constantly flapping, and the fact i am almost at the shrine.

I zipped through a mist that apparently had me coughing and dizzy for a second.

(Suika? nah)

I got dangerously close to the shrine.

**Reimu's POV**  
I sat on the porch of my shrine, drinking tea as it was another night.

(Another night....)

(I hope that Ken and Marisa are ok.)

(Marisa nor Ken didn't come to the shrine for a few days)

(Why did i say that statement in the first place!!!)

(I am the protector.....not the one whose causing the incidents)

(It's going to be really boring if they disappear.)

I became sad, then I immediately noticed something really fast approaching towards me.....

(What is that!!!!)

I tried to make out what it was from the blur that was approaching.

I got up and braced myself on the ground with ofuda in my hand, dropping the cup of tea onto the ground.

Then it stopped and landed on the courtyard, revealing a very familiar person.

(He can't be.... )

"Ken?" I asked.

"Hello!" he said cheerfully.

(It should of taken at least a few weeks before he could fly. What the heck is he doing flying fast like that?)

"....You fly fast....." I said.

"I know."  
Then Ken walked toward my donation box, and took out a coin...

(There was money??)

I was surprised with my eyes open as Ken walked in front of me and flicked it at my forehead.

It hurt as i closed my eyes for a sec....then i heard and saw that the 1 yen coin ended up in my puddle of tea I just made.

I angrily looked at Ken, my face scrunching up, as he began to leave.

"Ciao" he said.

He had a dangerous grin on his face before he sped away in the sky.

I twitched as i bubbled with more and more anger.

**Ken's POV**  
(Hehehe, that was good. No longer am I angry at her. Getting hit by the one thing she loves.)

I was laughing while I was flying back to Marisa's home.

"KEN~! HOLY RELIC! YIN-YANG SANCTIFIER ORB!" Reimu yelled, piercing the short silence.

I stopped and looked behind me.....

(I got some fine motor control in the air.)

And saw an incoming Yin-Yang ball closing in!

(NO! I DON't WANT TO GET HIT BY REIMU'S BALLS)

(Oh wait a second)

I flew up and it missed me as the spellcard broke and the ball disappeared.

"ARGH~!" grunted Reimu, which was strangely loud.

(FAIL~!)

"That's what you get for hitting people with your balls with your ballsy attitude." I said.

Then i continued towards Marisa's house....her house becoming more and more distinct, as I got closer.

"Wow! I must be faster than Aya!"

**Third POV**  
Meanwhile at the youkai mountain....

Aya twitched as she was on the futon sitting up when Ken said that very statement.

"I don't know what happened...But i think i feel like i have just been insulted.....ah well." She said.

Aya lied back to sleep with Momiji, trying to think about the next topic on her newspaper.

**Ken's POV**  
(I am almost there!)

Then i began to lose this magical feeling in my body while I start to rapidly descend to the ground as i was in the front yard of Marisa's home.

(NO NO NO NO NO NO!!!!)

I landed, but fortunately something broke my fall.

(Right when I fell down, I think I landed on someone...uh oh)

I just found out that person was Marisa, who grunted.

She looked irritated when I looked at her, I was on her stomach.

She was getting her Hakkero out of her hat....

I was panicking like hell, adrenaline coursed my body.

Her hand was now facing towards me with the Hakkero as she began to mutter something.

"Love Sig..NNNGGGGHH"

I immediately grabbed her arm and pushed it away from me as I looked into her eyes.

(Time to use the best puppy face I got. Not sure if it works on teenagers though.)

Both of us were blushing heavily as she was still resisting my arm. She suddenly relaxed while she closed her eyes. her lips slightly parting while her face becoming more flustered, she let go of the Hakkero as it landed softly in the grass.

(Is this...)

My moe resistance was starting to crumble as I was about to be in a daze and the blood rushed to my nose..

(Shit i better not do this while im on her belly. Better make it QUICK!)

I leaned forward...

My eyes closed as well..

Her lips felt cold.

My moe resistance started to build back up....no longer threatening as the blood came back down.

A magical euphoric feeling swept through my body.

We held on for a few more seconds before we parted.

...she had tears coming her eyes as we both opened our eyes...

I wiped her tears off with my hand as she began to smile....while blushing pink.

"Ken.I...I...I..I" Marisa stuttered.

"Should we......"

(I need to work on resistance...)

Before I fainted from sudden Moe overload..

I heard a faint giggle distinctly from Marisa.

Then Fergie's voice rang in my head.

(Woohoo....)

"Bleh."

**Unknown POV:**

I looked through a gap seeing Ken in a pool of blood as Marisa began to drag him back to her house, now leaving a blood streak.

(Fufufu, You're welcome for your powers Ken~)

(Although, I did not expect this to happen between Marisa and Ken.)

(Hahaha, he gets around..)

(Was it the fact that Marisa fell in love with him so easily, due to the sudden disappearance of her mentor, I'll never know.)


	9. Chapter 8

**Ken's POV**  
I woke up.

I stretched my arms and rubbed my eyes groggily, finding myself on Marisa's bed again.

I saw that it is morning again with the sunlight streaking in through windows, one broken by the Holy Grail and the other one not broken.

(What happened yesterday?)

I suddenly had an epiphany, remembering the incidents.

(The flying, almost getting hit by Reimu's balls, landing on Marisa, ...kissing her, fainting, Fergie's voice.)

(Oh yes.., that happened. Why was I thinking of I Gotta Feeling while flying?)

I felt warmth rushing to my cheeks for a little bit while replaying that one kiss under the stars that night again and again.

(God, Just thinking about it just makes my heart beat faster and faster.)

(But why was she crying? I thought she didn't love me back....I wasn't even in any critical situation.)

(Hmmm...Time to confront her about all this..)

I sat up then touched the floor with my feet, then out of the corner of my eye I saw...

There was another pillow with some messed up sheets from the other side of the bed, with more dried blood on the sheets.

(Who....what....Marisa was sleeping with me?)

(Oh man....)

Immediately i went moe, nosebleeding away as blood drips off my chin to the covers, making it even more bloody.

I stood there for like five minutes before i snapped out, making the sheets now also dripping blood.

(I wonder why I don't donate to the hospital...I don't feel light-headed at all..but)

(So she was sleeping with me....does this mean that we are......in a relationship?)

(Do we really want that? Even if we like each other?)

(I should go ask her, she'll know what to do, her signature Master Spark doesn't have the love part for nothing.)

Going through the junk in her room, I walked up to the door and immediately grinned, an idea going across my head.

(Maybe I should test if I can still fly, just in case.)

After I opened the door, I braced myself in case a fall should happen.

(If I fall, just roll down, that will net me the least damage.)

Then, I willed myself to fly off the floor first.

It was successful as I managed to levitate off the floor with sheer willpower.

(Now's not the time to get happy yet.)

I sighed, while looking down the stairs, seeing a wall that met me.

(Now for the real test..)

I managed to slowly glide down the stairs with my awesome levitating skills, experiencing no trouble at all surprisingly.

(Hahahaha..It's like that the person from the movie "The Exorcist." Only I'm not possessed.)

I managed to land back down safely on the bottom floor.

(Well i least i know i regained a lot of control on my flying.)

(However...)

I began to feel really cocky, while sporting an evil grin.

I hovered over the junk as I made my way to the door leading to outside and landed.

Then I quickly twisted the doorknob as I went outside, closing the door behind me.

(I am having too much fun doing this.)

(Marisa can wait..)

(Let's see how fast i can go...)

I walked into the middle of the grass in front of Marisa's house, a slight breeze brushed me as I launched myself upwards as fast I willed.

I unleashed a sonic boom as it echoed across the land while going up into the air.

Before I knew it, I was up really high in the air, seeing the whole span of land.

"Whoa, I can see the Hakurei Shrine and the Scarlet Devil Mansion[SDM] from here." I said, amazed.

Suddenly, I hyperventilated as I struggled to breath, whilst coughing.

(Wow the air is thin up here....I should go down before I suffocate.)

I flew down to the grass slowly, somewhat sad that I could be having some fun for now.

"Wow!!! I am the fastest being in Gensokyo" I said.

**Third POV**  
At the youkai mountain,

Aya was eating her meal after hearing a strange noise that was like a boom, an inquisitive look on her face.

Then she twitched again when Ken said his statement, becoming uncomfortable.

"These twitches are becoming a problem. I should investigate it, but my boss rarely ever gives me breaks." said Aya.

"MOMOJI! Where's the Maple Syrup!?" yelled Aya, looking at her dish of rice and a live fish on top.

"Coming!! eh!" yelled a voice.

Aya shook her head. "I don't know whether the twitches or the eh Momoji says at every end of the sentence is a problem or not."

**Ken's POV**

(This isn't enough......I wanna have more fun.)

(After all, not everyone can't fly, especially in the human world.)

A dangerous grin appeared on my face, as an idea struck me.

(Let's zoom across Gensokyo!)

With that, I prepared to fly through the sky as I kneeled down, then i launched myself to the air, pushing back the grass really hard.

A sonic boom came from my feet as i zoomed above and across the Forest of Magic...

(Heh, lets go to the human village!!!)

I looked around while i was flying and saw a bunch of stands and old japanesque houses to my west, each with curved roofs as people walked around in feudal japanese clothing, stopping momentarily to glance at me.

(PERFECT!!)

I grinned as I curled my feet back, then quickly extending them, letting out another sonic boom as I propelled myself towards the village.

(Damn....how fast am I going because I swear I can see the looks on their faces now.)

The villagers were just shocked to see me, an outsider, to fly at astonishing speeds.

As soon as i reached a yakisoba stand,...seeing the surprised look on the owner's face, I did a 90 degree turn..and zoomed.

[A/N: Yakisoba means fried noodles.]

"Hahahahahaha the looks on their faces are just priceless" I said.

One villager just stood there with his eyes and mouth wide open, making weird hand motions then pointing at me.

Every child jumped up and awed at the sight of me as they exclaimed.

"I wanna be like him"

"I wanna fly fast!!"

"Is he stronger than Miss Keine?"

"He's so fast"

"go! go! go!"

I felt warmth rush to my cheeks, being praised by the kids that were quickly passing by me.

(Being stronger than Miss Keine? I doubt it, Being able to move fast doesn't mean I can escape getting caved.)

Then at a distance, I saw a school due to the number of kids going to...or rather running into it.

Then I saw someone as I got closer...

She had Brown eyes and long silver hair with blue highlights.

She's wearing a strange hat that looks like some kind of building with a red ribbon on top and glyphs inscribed along its side.

Her dress is dark blue with white short sleeves, and a red ribbon is tied to the bottom of the collar.

She looked strangely familiar, a wave of nostalgia passing through me.

(Wait a second...Keine?)

As I got closer, she was tilting her head back as she stood her ground.

(What the hell is she doing?)

Then i recognized it from remembering Cirno's Perfect Math Class video.

(Does she really think I'm going to endanger the students....fine...I'm going to scare her a little bit then.)

I thought about the idea as Keine prepares to headbutt me, dropping her books onto the ground.

I began to grow closer and closer as she readied herself, taking a step back to support herself.

(Now's the time to do it!)

I dove to the ground then I sonic boomed up into the air when I was about a foot away from Keine, knocking Keine off her feet, landing on her ass.

"Sorry Keine~!" I yelled.

**Keine's POV**  
(What the?)

He doved upwards as I missed him by an inch with my headbutt.

I was pushed back by the sudden shockwave he made, making me land on my ass along side my books.

(What does that human think he is?)

(I'm not sure how he exactly gained that astonishing speed.)

(and him, possibly an outsider judging by the strange clothes he wore.)

(Could it be that he is a youkai that died in the outside world? But then he wouldn't have those strange clothes he's wearing.)

I grabbed my books and stood up, sighing in relief.

(Oh right, time to teach...At least the children are safe)

I walked toward the school with my books under my arm.

(Hehe, i certainly do know he's faster than that Tengu.)

I giggled as i went into my assigned classroom, hearing several remarks about the little situation I was in.

"Did you see her land on her butt?"

"Woot! Woot!"

"He showed you who's boss Miss Keine!"

"Hahaha You landed on your arse!"

One person just kept pointing at me and laughing the whole time.

(How rude...)

"Children.." I said, trying to calm down the children.

They kept on making a ruckus in the room as I sat my books on the desk.

(Here we go again...)

I pulled out a sphere on a stick, the sphere resembled a moon as I held it up in front of me and focused on it.

(Just like when the full moon is out...)

**Ken's POV**

(Is it me or do I hear people screaming? Nah...must be my imagination.)

(Hahaha..Oh yes, i scared her big time...she landed on her ass!)

I flew in the blue sky as the summer sun made every surrounding bright.

(And the best part is that I don't have to worry about sweating because the speed i pick up already cools me through it!!!)

(Oh god this is the best ability to have!!!)

Then I flew in random directions, taking in the exhilarating excitement, as i rushed through the air.

I flew around in a loop many times, and almost getting nauseous from the result.

(Ugh....I don't like that Butterflies in your Stomach feeling..)

Then i felt cocky again, as I curled up my legs again.

(I should get back!!! let's see how fast i can go!!!)

I readied myself as i begun to head for Marisa's House in the Forest of Magic.

Then I extended my legs and blasted through the air, almost already reaching Marisa's House surprisingly.

(God, The sonic boom I created was so loud that I bet even people underground could hear it.)

**Unknown POV**  
It was dark in the palace as we barely see each other as i faced my master.

"Satori, did you hear that?" I said.

"Actually yes i did, i heard a boom above ground. I think something's going on." said Satori.

"You may be right...woops time to check the mantle" I said, flying in the opposite direction I faced my master.

As i flew to the mantle, I thought long and hard about the boom.

(Whoever can make that boom cannot beat the power of the RAVEN!!!)

Then i flew in pride as i got back to work.

**Ken's POV**  
A wave of disgust and jealously went across my body, as I felt extremely disappointed.

(Why the hell am i thinking about whether someone can beat my speed?)

I became shocked at the fact I easily became egotistic of my speed.

(Nah, nevermind, nobody can beat my speed! Not even Aya could make a sonic boom in the air.)

While i was thinking about that, i didn't realize that i began to get dangerously close to the front yard of Marisa's house.

I focused in front of me, and saw that the ground was only like 30 feet away.

(Oh shit!! slow down slow down!!!)

But it was too late, my head got stuck in the dirt with my body in a 45 degree angle.

I made an explosion as dirt kicked up in the air.

A very painful migraine went across my head.

(Gahh!!! this hurts so damn much!!!)

I tried pulling myself out of the dirt but it was no use, the rest of the body was in the air but my head was buried in the dirt.

(I hope somebody hurries and gets me out, I don't like the taste of dirt.)

After waiting for 1 hour, I could barely breath as there was very tiny air space in the hole my head was in.

(It feels really weird that my body is in the air while my head is on the ground for a while. The blood rushing to my head was uncomfortable enough.)

I felt the ground shake as I was still in the same position as before.

It felt like it was a footstep but its vibrations are amplified, there were a lot of footsteps being made.

I heard mumbling above ground, but I couldn't figure out who was it.

Then four hands grabbed my legs and arms by the wrist.

they finally pulled my head out after about five minutes as the headache in my head slowly dulled.

I opened my eyes to find out who it was that helped me.

One of them was Marisa, who smiled and blushed.

"Hi, ze!" greeted Marisa.

Then there was another individual who was with Marisa, another man(FINALLY) with glasses.

He had golden eyes, short silver hair, and his clothes are black and blue, and he is carrying a small bag with him.

He looked familiar, then i realized who it was.

"Rinnosuke?"

"Ah! i see you know my name. Nice to meet you" said Rinnosuke.

He held out his hand...

I took it, got up, and shook his hand.

(Looks like he knows some customs from the outside world...but then again he deals in with things from the outside world. Of course he does.)

I raised my eyebrows at the thought, becoming thoroughly shocked.

(I am beginning to talk as if my world was foreign...is this normal?)

I looked up in the sky to think pensively.

(I wonder, If I stay in Gensokyo for a while, will I find the world I grew up in unwelcome? Will anyone in the outside world remember me? How will I even get back? If I even intend to...Would I still be able to fly in the outside world?)

I looked around in my surroundings, seeing dirt and grass all over the place with a hole in the ground, where my head resided before.

(Wow, what a mess.)

"I brought Kourin over here since he showed great interest in the outside world, ze! I said that you were an outsider so he wanted to come with me to meet you, ze! Look at the mess you made, you dirty dirty man!" said Marisa, now flustered, realizing the mess I made.

(Oh yeah, dirty dirty me..)

"Ah did you Rinnosuke? Well whatever you need to know, i will entertain you." I said.

(Oh god that sounded wrong. I better set it straight.)

"Err...ummm...I mean I will tell you what you want to know in the outside world, yeah that's it" I corrected.

"Excellent!" exclaimed Rinnosuke, who smiled.

Then we went back inside to Marisa's house, ignoring the ditch in the ground i made an hour ago.

(Marisa sure doesn't mind the ditch in the ground in front of her house, I bet Reimu would do the same on her courtyard, looking for lost treasures.)

(Then again...It's Gensokyo...things happen. If I try to apply common sense, my brain would only hurt. The world of a drunken man is strange indeed, but I LIKE IT!)


	10. Chapter 9

**Ken's POV**

We walked into Marisa's home as I dusted off the dust that gathered on my clothes.

(Ugh....I need a shower...)

We all plopped down on the red coach with the thin blue blanket on it.

I sat on the damp side while Marisa sat in the middle and Rinnosuke sat on the other side.

(I'm getting too curious about the wet blanket.)

"Why is the blanket wet?" I whispered in Marisa's ear.

Marisa's cheeks turned into a tinge of red when I asked.

"..ummmm....I'll tell you later." she replied, whispering.

(I'm getting impatient here.....I really want to know why whatever my ass is sitting on is wet.)

Marisa was still blushing heavily while Rinnosuke reached in his little bag with his hand and pulled out something.

(Why are you wearing it like a fanny pack, more importantly right in front of you like some kind of kangeroo?)

He took out a a thin black object with a screen that covered a side, followed by a small button at the button resembling a circle with a square in it, with earbuds wrapped around the thin object.

(He's holding a freaking I-pod touch! How in the hell did you get your hands on that?)

I started making incomprehensible noises while continuously pointing at the Ipod with my eyes open. I heard Marisa giggling in the background while Rinnosuke looked confused at me.

"Ken?" He said.

I snapped out of my daze while I cleared my throat, now feeling uncomfortable with the situation.

(Well that was a bad impression..)

"Yes?" I replied.

"Can you clarify to me what this thing does? Judging from your reaction, this must be a pretty rare item" analyzed Rinnosuke, while smiling.

Marisa raised her eyebrows when Rinnosuke said "rare," taking interest in the object. "Eh~? Are you saying what you have in your hand is a _rare_ item?"

I rolled my eyes, and silently laughed to myself.

(Don't get any ideas Marisa. Not as rare as you think.)

"It's actually pretty common in the outside world. But it's known to be expensive, here, give me the I-pod" I said.

Rinnosuke nodded and handed me the I-pod and the earbuds wrapped around it. I blew on it since the I-pod was dusty.

"So It's called the I-pod? Don't break it" He said, paranoid.

(Why would I break something like this?)

(You didn't even bother to clean this? Then again, if he tried to clean it with water....I prefer dusty.)

I coughed when the dust got up to my face, putting my hand below my neck for composure.

(God, so much dust, will this I-pod even work?)

I switched it on, remembering how to use one from a friend.

(Lucky bastard. What I could only afford is an I-pod Nano.....)

(But he got this, especially when people in Gensokyo aren't really associated with technology while I only have an I-pod Nano....and it was the first generation.)

I felt saddened until the I-pod turned on, signaling it with a vibration and the screen lighting up.

It soon came to a bunch of icons while I inspected it. Marisa and Rinnosuke, interested, leaning closer to see it.

(Well, I do know it's on full battery, and the person isn't really a fan of apps.)

I pressed on the screen with my index finger on the orange square with a darker image of two eighth notes connected by a bar, in other words, the music icon.

The icon shook momentarily before leading me to a list of songs, surprisingly unorganized.

(Heck it's not even alphabetized, can't this guy at least make a few folders to dump them in? This is going to be a long list...)

(Hmm, I guess Rinnosuke never did figured out how to turn it on. Especially since it was on full battery.)

When I looked at them, Marisa and Rinnosuke looked captivated and amazed, gazing at the I-pod.

"Oooo, it's shiny, ze!! What does this button do?" Marisa asked, pointing at the square button.

(Well, aren't you like Dee Dee from Dexter's Laboratory?)

"That's a button that takes you back where you were. So if accidentally went somewhere in this I-pod you didn't want to go, just press on this button and it takes you back" I answered.

She nodded, grinning back at me, while Rinnosuke looked at her suspiciously, leering his eyes at her.

"Hey, don't get any ideas!" Rinnosuke said, being cautious.

(Like hell I'm letting her take this away from ME!)

Marisa simply shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly, making a chuckle a little bit while I refocused on the I-pod.

(Oh my god)

(This ipod is full of arranges of Touhou music!)

Shocked, I scrolled through the music list with my thumb. Each song had the word "TOUHOU" in the title, classifying it as Touhou music.

(I may be wrong about this guy's sense of organization...or whoever's ipod was this.)

"Hey what does Touhou~ mean, ze?" Marisa asked.

(That could possibly be the most ironic question you could ever ask.)

"Ummmmmm....it is a name a person came up with for a bunch of things" I replied.

(Too much explaining, and I doubt you will believe it.)

(Wow i think I'm becoming Reimu now....)

Disgusted at the realization, I put the earphones in my ears while Marisa became puzzled at my action.

"What are you doing, ze?!" Marisa asked, alarmed.

Rinnosuke remained calm, he seemed to trust what I was doing.

(Perfect!!! Just the song i want to listen to! And it's not even Touhou related either.)

I scrolled to the one that said "30 Seconds to Mars---Kings and Queens."

Then i pressed on it...

I waited for a few seconds, becoming impatient.

(Hmmm..maybe the guy who had this I-pod used the Firefox dwhelper and converter to get the song. That's what I do.)

Then the music blared out into my ears as i flinched, grabbing my ears and taking out the earphones.

(How do Goth people listen to really loud music! Aren't their eardrums just ruptured?)

The I-pod was still on my hand as Marisa quickly tried to grab it with her hand. I grabbed her wrist to prevent her from getting it.

The music was still blaring out while I looked at her.

She looked worried while she relaxed and pulled away her arm, blushing red.

"Ken......I think that thing is dangerous, daze." said Marisa, a scared tone ringing out in her words.

"I agree. This device seems to be dangerous" agreed Rinnosuke.

(An I-pod? Dangerous? When you have it up that loud Its dangerous!)

I simply shook my head while laughing.

"Don't worry! I used these things before, i just gotta turn it down the volume" I spoke reassuringly.

Marisa only began to look more confused.

(It's hard not to use modern terms with people living in a backwards society.)

I pressed the stop button, a white square.

I turned it down to a more reasonable level by bringing my finger down on a green bar.

Then i put the earphones in my ear and restarted the song by pressing a sideways triangle.

(OMG this is heaven...I haven't heard music in a while! Even if it's only been a few days.)

I relaxed and enjoyed the music that goes to my ears as they sang "We are the Kings and Queens of our promise".

I was nodding my head up and down as Marisa and Rinnosuke looked at me like I was an idiot.

"What are you doing, ze?" asked Marisa.

(I'm enjoying my music what do you think i am doing?)

"So this thing makes your head go up and down."

I looked at Rinnosuke like he was a dumbass, shaking my head.

(That was the most retarded thing i have ever heard.)

"Ummm...wait give me a second" I stalled.

I backed out as I went back to scrolling fast with my thumb.

Then songs began popping up with the words included saying "Cabal Online."

(Woah, this guy listens to everything.)

I scrolled down until I saw a familiar song.

(Oh Green Despair..Perfect!)

(I wonder if they have listened to music before...ignoring the fact that the Prismriver sisters could be it.)

"Have you guys ever listened to music before?" I asked, unable to contain my curiosity.

"What's Music, ze?" Marisa asked.

"I seemed to have heard of it....but only sometimes" Rinnosuke replied.

I was utterly shocked by their statements.

(I am a man who listens to music everyday....and plays it too!)

(And here i am, sitting next to people who never heard of music before.)

(Gensokyo must be really isolated. You can't go a day in the outside world without hearing music. Even the mainstream crap.)

"Umm....here. Take this and put it in your ear" I said.

I handed the right earphone to Marisa, who tried to push it away with her hand.

I clasped my other hand on hers...the I-pod on my legs now.

I looked into her eyes, Marisa looked scared as she began to blush.

"Marisa, Please trust me on this. There is no one else who's more experienced with things like these than I am" I reassured.

Marisa, smiling, relaxed her arms as I put the earbud in her ear, she was blushing constantly throughout the whole thing.

"..Ok" she squeaked.

Secured the earbud in her ear, i began to play "Green Despair" by pressing the button.

Initially surprised, Marisa held on to me as the acoustic guitar began playing, a slow pace.

(Her eyes were closed...i think she was scared)

My moe Barrier was under fire as I tried to comfort her by rubbing her back up and down with my left hand.

(I swear i am getting close to a nosebleed.)

Then she relaxed again after some time, no longer clutching my arms while laying her head on my shoulder.

I continued to comfort her as the guitar began to have muted strumming in the background.

Rinnosuke got up from the couch and walked to the door, I paused the song, looking up at Rinnosuke.

Marisa looked at me in surprise then looked at Rinnosuke who looked back, smiling.

"So it plays music then....I will let you keep this for a while....don't forget to give it back" He said.

Then he went out and closed the door behind him.

I still sat there looking at the closed door when Marisa nudged me.

I looked at her, she doesn't seem to like the silence when she pointed at the I-pod.

(There isn't anyone who doesn't like music in general.)

"...I didn't say stop it, ze~" said Marisa.

She giggled as she scooted closer to me and laid her head on my lap, blushing pink with a relaxed smile as she put up her legs on the armrest on the other side of the couch.

I replaced the earphone she was wearing into her other ear, and unpaused the song.

I was on the couch laying back relaxed, while Marisa was laying on my lap with her head, thoroughly comforted

I began playing with her hair as she giggled and blushed as i twirled her braid around.

We both looked into each other and smiled as the tempo began to pick up with the introduction of the drums.

(This is getting a bit repetitive..)

I stopped the song because it was starting to get bore me.

Disappointment went across Marisa's face as her mouth turned in the wrong direction. "I didn't say.."

I hushed her with my finger lightly pressing on her lips, interrupting her.

"Take it easy....There is a better music in here" I said, unnerved by the word "music."

Marisa smiled while I lifted my finger off her lips, Marisa blushing lightly.

(Using the word music sounded weird, but she doesn't know what song meant. I am pretty sure she knows what "Take it easy" means.)

I scrolled through the list past the Cabal Online section until I came across the song called "Hanging by a Moment -Lifehouse EDITED."

(No matter, i found the right song. Even though It's a really old song, it's a classic, fell in love with it when I was a kid.)

(Wow, Rinnosuke made this really convenient for us.)

I secretly thanked him, smiling, while adjusting the volume to a quiet level.

I played the song and put the I-pod into my pocket, having locked it with a switch at the top.

I went back to playing her hair, twirling around the braid on the left side of her face as the guitar began playing.

I didn't notice I had my other hand on her chest until now.

She put her hand on it as i glanced over to see her hand slowly go under my hand and trying to grasp it.

I slowly grasped her hand and held it lightly, Marisa shook off her hat onto the floor to join the trunk.

(How come I didn't die of Moe yet?)

(Marisa on my lap....my Moe Barrier must be really good today.)

(Maybe it was just too much for Moe now....now it was......love?)

(They say that Nosebleeding is your heart sweating, what do they call this?)

(This seems to be a bit rushed though..a motive..but that doesn't matter.)

Marisa began to sit up as she got her head close to mine, sitting on my lap, as both of us blushed as we held hands together.

Our foreheads touched, Marisa's smile got bigger, her fingers began to interlace with mine.

Her blonde hair and my black hair mixed as her braid lay hanging unattended.

(Still, that annoying question keeps popping up in my head.)

"So, why was your blanket wet?" I asked, whispering.

Marisa's face was flustered, averting her eyes.

"Because.....when you were injured, I cried all night for you, hoping you would get well, ze." She whispered.

(Still, wasn't that like a few days ago?)

(But....I can't say that to her right now..)

"I kept it wet, so I could remember when you were injured and I had to...kiss you, ze~" Marisa continued.

"hehe, you say Ze~ in a cute way." I said.

Marisa giggled and looked back into my eyes.

I felt warmth come to my cheeks while Marisa's cheeks toned down to pink.

"What do you mean? should i stop?" she asked with a worried tone.

(That's a big fat NO!!!)

"I didn't say I didn't like it" I said, smiling. "I wouldn't have called it cute if i didn't like it now would I, Marisa Kirisame?"

Marisa smiled at me while giggling a little bit.

"Well thank y..you, Ken" she said.

I looked back down to see something extending out of my pants, then it went back down slowly, worrying me for a bit.

(I'm not sure if she knows what wood is, but I do know she probably wouldn't like it growing at this time.)

"Also.."

I looked back into her golden eyes, as her words broke the silence.

"Ken..I...I...I...I Like..you a lot.." stuttered Marisa. "I...Never...f-felt..this..way since...my.."

(She's stuttering...does this mean.....and who?!)

I looked up to see her face, curious.

There were streams of tears from her eyes to her chin....her cheeks puffy and red.

(She's looking me as though she had been alone for many years..)

"Ken....N..No one has ever been so.....I...I..am sorry if I hadn't been nice to you the past days."

(If you hadn't been nice? You were, other than you almost killing me and making me get my own food...)

"I...I..wanted someone who could understand me....I.I wanted you...I hope y..you understand...right Ken?"

Her sweet tone drove me crazy, i can barely control myself...

"But what about Reimu? I..Isn't she your best friend?" I asked, confused.

"But she scolds me all the time!! She never understands why I...borrow.." she said, a tone of regret found in her voice.

"And that lady who lives next to me......she's so....cold...she likes her dolls more than me..."

"...N.. likes...M...M.M.."

(Strange....how you were able to stay so cheerful before..)

She began breaking up.....her tears began to pour out at a more faster rate.

"Auuu...."

Marisa looked down and began to lay her head weeping on my chest, making little gasps of breaths in between crying.

I put my arm just below her shoulders, hugging her.

"Marisa.." I said.  
_  
Forgetting all I'm lacking_

Marisa began to look up to me, saddened.

I wiped off her tears with my thumb, she began to smile as she lightly clasped my wrist.

I put my other hand through her long hair, letting go of her hand.

"Marisa......I do...I like you too."  
_  
Completely incomplete_

Marisa began to trace her hands up my back, sensually arousing me as one of her arms now reached around my neck.

We both looked in our eyes deeply, a beautiful gold iris meeting my dark brown eyes.

I began to hold her even closer.

"Ken.." squeaked Marisa.

_I'll take your invitation_

She slowly closed her eyes, and her lips parted, as she leaned closer.

_You take all of me now_

I smiled then leaned closer as well...and kissed her deeply, as the chorus kicked in.

Marisa's hands now crawled down to my shoulders as I did the same with her hair. One of my hands ventured down to her shoulder, brushing my rough skin against her clothes.

We hugged closer and tighter, as our lips were pressing together, while my tongue probed inside, lashing against hers.

I could feel her heart beating really fast too.

When we finally pulled ourselves out of the torrid yet entangling kiss, one of Marisa's hands went into my hair as I smiled.

"I...really...want..you" breathed Marisa. "Are...you...okay...with..me?"

I nodded, when she quickly leaned and pressed my lips to mine. It was more gentle, passionate, yet more tantalizing. The stroke of her lips on mine was really light, excruciatingly robbing me of the cocktail of sensations earlier, making me yearn for more.

I grabbed her tightly and pulled her in for a deep kiss, while she touched my face with her hand.

I felt her tears on my cheeks.

But I can't help feeling an uncomfortable feeling.

_I'm desperate for changing  
I'm starving for truth  
I'm closer to where I started  
I'm chasing after you_

**Unknown POV**

"Fufufu, that Ken really gets around" I said.  
I watched as i saw Ken continue to kiss Marisa deeply from top down ...through a little gap enough for two eyes to see through.

(He seemed to be the only one who could touch her clumsy heart...especially after that incident...even if she heard the wrong side of the story.)

"Ken, we shall meet soon...and when we do...i hope you thank me for opening the boundaries of your speed and soon....danmaku prowess." I said. "If you don't mind the enervation soon."

I smiled and cackled as i began to think up a series of....tests...to test his skills.

(I may start with a red fog, then enervation will result.)

"Mistress, your hot pocket is ready!!" yelled Ran's voice.

"EXCELLENT!" I yelled.

I open a gap below me while closing the other gaps, landing directly in front of Ran on my feet and a plate of four cheese hot pockets.

"Me no want to watch Marisa and Ken, Me want Hot Pockets!"


	11. Chapter 10

**Ken's POV**  
I laid on the couch, lightly tapping the armrest with my foot, with one earbud in my ear even though the song has ended already.

Marisa left after we made out for probably 3 hours, losing track of time as it was night already. The moon was not up though.

I began to sit up, going to go sleep on Marisa's bed.

While we made out, I decided it would be nice to go to bed. Marisa said that she wanted to change first before she called it a night.

I stood up on the floor, and stretched my arms and legs, feeling the bones crack.

I made my way up the stairs while contemplating Marisa's words.

(....Hadn't been nice to me...)

I opened the door to Marisa's room where i hovered over the junk to get to the bed easily.

(This would be really useful for really obese people.)

The room was almost in complete darkness, I could easily be mistaken for a possessed person hovering over stuff.

Then I went ahead and laid myself on the bed without putting any covers on, laying my head on the pillow and laying on the bloody sheets.

(Making out can really make you sweat, jeez.)

(Now that I covered flying, what can I do about danmaku now?)

(I can escape any youkai with my speed, but most of them are probably too persistent to just piss off, they might try to kill me in my sleep, if they catch me.)

(So i will have to learn Danmaku and probably make up some spell cards.)

(I remember making up a certain danmaku bullet in a topic in a website called ToujinStyle)

(Maybe if i work hard enough, i can use those bullets to crush anyone in my way.)

My eyebrows lifted at that statement.

(Wow, maybe this flying thing is making me a little more than just confident.)

I was deep in thought when suddenly the door banged open, interrupting me suddenly.

I turned my head to see Marisa, in a simple white dress with light blue trimming at the bottom just about two inches above the knees, showing her curvy body outline, and also another fact.

(She's kinda flat.)

I chuckled as Marisa made her way through the junk, smiling.

I scooted to the other side of the bed, facing the wall that the bed is next to...

She lied down and began to adjust to sleep.

I did the same, laying on my left side facing the wall.

"Good night Ken."

"Good night Marisa."

1 hour later...

(Why is it i can't sleep right now!!)

It was night now as the moon shone outside, leaving four squares seeable in a blue-ish color on the junk and a jagged edged square on the other side.

I laid there all night, attempted every technique that could help me fall asleep.

I tried Wiggling your toes, didn't work and also gave me a Charley Horse.

Counting sheep made me even more awake.

Imagining a peaceful setting like a lake or a forest didn't help either.

Doing a ChenXOrin imagination in my head did not make me go faint to sleep, as it did before.

(That's weird....usually it works if I imagine a yuri couple have sex, making me go Moe and fall asleep, at the cost of cleaning the bedsheets in the morning.)

(Hmmmmmm.....What do I do?)

Then two arms began to wrap around me, making me twitch in surprise.

I became alarmed, then I realized Marisa was sleeping next to me.

(Oh yeah, That's right....)

Then Marisa's arms interlocked as she put her head next to my head very closely.

"Mmmmm...........mush~room, ze~" uttered Marisa.

(What? mushrooms? Is that all you think about?)

Then i felt something wet on my back, as it dripped down my skin, giving me goosebumps.

(...What are you doing?)

I turned over as slowly and carefully as possible, trying not to awaken Marisa.

(What the.......she's drooling..Mushrooms don't make people drool at all, in fact, they are supposed to make you vomit.)

Saliva drooled out of her mouth as she began to make a wet spot on the sheets.

(Could that explain the wet blanket.....wait Marisa said they were his tears.)

(Marisa, you're sick.)

She was blushing a little bit pink when I immediately thought that.

"Oh look! I got your Precious thing! What will you do now that I took your mushroom?" uttered Marisa.

(And they say I look ridiculous when I talk in my sleep.)

After taking one good look at her face, a very odd drunken face, I began trying to count backwards to help me sleep.

(Either way, hopefully none of this...saliva won't reach me....I did not expect Marisa to be this disgusting!)

After reaching number 54, I fell asleep.

(Where am I?)

I was suddenly in a forest, seeing nothing but trees and a clearing in front of me.

(Gahhh..nothing to be seen but trees! What if I walk through this clearing.)  
I merely walked through the clearing until...

Chu~

I think someone is biting on my shoulder, as I felt a little sharp pain on my right.

I glanced over my back to see who bit me.

And it happened to be none other than Remilla Scarlet, who was wearing a pink mop hat and a pink blouse. She was very short as she was off the ground clinging onto my shoulder with her teeth.

She held on with her teeth, while giving a very big red eyed with tears dropping out face.

"TAKE ME TO YOUR LEADER!" she demanded.

I barely understood her as she mumbled incoherently, even if it was very loud.

(If there's something I want right now, I want this loli off of me before I get vampire Rabies.)

"Get off my back" I said, emotionless.

(That sounded really harsh.)

"NUUUU~" she yelled.

Then she glared at me with another baby-ish look, able to make even a jaded person say "Aw~," while kicking my back with her feet, making her look like a baby with LITTLE charisma.

(Surprisingly I didn't fall due to Moe because i am usually one of the weakest...)

(I barely survived 2 Girls 1 Cup after all....disgusting)

I sighed, exasperated, and shook my head.

(Guess I gotta deal with this, I don't want to know what happens If I tried to pick her up off my shoulder.)

I continued to walk through the forest awkwardly with Remilla just hanging on my shoulder with her teeth.

Then she began to lick me with her tongue, making me shiver, even though I didn't feel any blood dripping out.

(This...is....disgustingly...adorably...weird.)

I stopped walking and looked over my shoulder again as Remilia turned her eyes to me.

"You're TASTY!" Remilia remarked.

(I'm not even B type!!!! Did Remilia turn into someone else?! Because there is an extreme lack of charisma!)

(She's the not the Remilia with loads of Charisma! She's the one Touhou fans would love to rape, like that Kawaii Bunny girl on Toujinstyle.)

I sighed and continued to walk through the forest, beginning to see a developed path below me.

(If this must be the way out, then thank god for not seeing countless numbers of trees, and maybe even this girl will get off my shoulder...NOT)

(What am I wearing?)

I looked at myself as I wasn't wearing a shirt at all but I was wearing basketball shorts with flower patterns, like I just came back from a swimming pool all dried up. I was barefoot again.

(So far, this is a weird....lucid dream....I'm even lucky to have Touhou characters in it!!)

(Heck, lucid dreams seem to only happen in Gensokyo.)

I finally got out of the forest as the mowed grass slowly turned into a developed path complete with cobblestone.

I looked down and passed the time by observing the patterns the cobblestone path made.

Then after a few minutes, I looked up and saw the Scarlet Devil Mansion, when a certain someone stopped kicking me.

I was awed at its western architecture, seemingly very small for a Mansion.

(Then again, someone in this Mansion loves to play with time and space.)

Then i saw a person with gray hair wearing a maids outfit, with an uncomfortable smile.

(What do you know? It's Sakuya....who looks like she's out to rape Remilia.)

"Ojou-Sama!" she yelled in surprise as she looked straight past me.

(Wait a second, that was the first time I actually heard Japanese in this land.)

(Isn't Gensokyo supposed to be in Japan?)

(.......Or so I thought.)

I shook my head, as I felt the pressure on my shoulder loosen.

(Oh thank goodness..)

Sakuya seems to have two bat wings on her head and wings behind her chest.

(That resembles someone very familiar...unless Sakuya happens to be drinking a lot of Red Bull.)

Remilia let go of my shoulder, shoved and pushed me aside, and began to run towards Sakuya with her arms outstretched in the air.

(That's something you would only see in a movie....or a SLAPSTICK COMEDY)

I noticed a banana peel on the path as Remilia fell on her back with a loud thud. Someone came out from behind Sakuya with the four bat wings.

(Cliche, very Cliche. Who's that?)

(Koakuma?)

I recognized her by the long orange hair she had with the bat wings on her head and back along with a black dress that had white sleeves.

Remilla just sat up and stayed in that position, I walked over to her side to see her welling up.

"Uuu~"

I noticed tears from Remilia eyes as they fell on the path.

(Uh-oh.)

"WAH~" Remilia bawled while banging the path with her fists.

Sakuya just continued to stand there nosebleeding while staring at her master, seemingly taking delight.

(CHARISMA BREAK! I always wanted to see that happen. Sakuya is taking too far though.)

Then Koakuma got in front of Sakuya and licked her lips while she moved her hands down Sakuya, as though...

(What the fuck? Is she doing what i think she's doing?)

Koakuma seemed to have put her hands inside Sakuya's clothes as she begins to feel her up.

(Hmmm...I never imagined a KoaXSakuya yet. Even if Koakuma was doing this right in front of me and the fact she's enjoying it.)

Sakuya seemed to take pleasure to this as well by moaning. She licked her lips as well while she leaned her head closer to Koakuma.

(Oh here we go...oh hey look, there's wood.)

"Pads?" Koakuma said, in surprise.

(That did it....even If I did not predict that....and it went down.)

Sakuya immediately backed off from Koakuma as she degenerated into a very ANGRY state of madness.

"ZA WARUDO~!" She screamed.

(i don't think I need to mention the link in between this.)

She put a time suspension field that looks like a faded clock around Koakuma....got her hands out of her dress, and threw knives around her, that stayed in the air.

From what i counted after about 5 minutes, they seem to be exactly 300 knives, each glistening in the sunlight.

(Note to self: Don't say pads in front of her.)

(Another note: Internet memes happen to be true in Gensokyo....even in dreams.)

Then Sakuya snapped her fingers, stopping the time suspension field as the clock disappeared.

"EEK~!" Koakuma screamed.

Koakuma lied on the ground bleeding everywhere with knives on her body, making it look like some ripoff of acupuncture. No knife didn't puncture Koakuma's eyes as she cringed in pain.

"Uuu..THIS IS MADNESS~!" Koakuma screamed, popping her eyes open, her irises contract shorter.

Sakuya looked at Koakuma with an evil smirk.

(Oh god, look what you have done to her! And you ain't done yet! OVERKILL!)

Then all of a sudden, Flandre appeared in a flash with her prism wings just east of Sakuya a few feet away.

Sakuya went from angry to startled in a second, immediately bowing to her, taken by surprise.

Flandre walked over to Koakuma(Still on the floor), took out one of Sakuya's knives from her head, and dropped it on her head.

(So much for someone who likes to break toys..)

"Bleh~"

(Bleh? That's it?)

Koakuma and the knives then flew up in the air, spun around a few times, and soon slowly disappearing to the sun.

(Wait a second? Aren't Remilia and Flandre vampires?)

(This is definitely a weird dream. They are in direct sunlight!)

"Madness?" Flandre spoke, grabbing my attention to look at her.

Flandre turned to look back at me with a huge deathly toothy grin.

(Geez, that's scary!)

I immediately felt uneasy, as Flandre threateningly stomped towards me.

"THIS...IS....SCARLET~!" She yelled.

Thunder sounded in a distance just as Flandre said that, as she cackled.

(Umm...there's not even any clouds nearby..but)

I had my mouth, trying to not laugh right in front of her.

(What a blatant ripoff of that spartan thing!)

(That doesn't even make sense...then again nothing ever makes sense in..)

I was interrupted in my train of thought when Flandre suddenly kicked me down to the ground.

Then she pounced at me about to land, her arms outstretched with long fingernails sharpened.

(OH Shoot!!!)

"NOW PLAY WITH ME~!" She screamed.

(I do not like the way you say PLAY!)

Then she transformed into a Reimu Yukkuri, a disembodied head of Reimu with her eyes narrow and way up in the forehead with her mouth.

"YU~!"

"NO~!"

Thunder crackled in the distance, as everything disappeared in black darkness around me.

"Ooo~!" I continued yelling loudly.

I immediately sat up on the bed screaming, waving my arms in the air for no reason.

It was morning as the light streaks in to light up Marisa's room with a few rays, seeing little dust particles fly up in the light.

(Oh my god that was a terrible dream.)

I cracked my neck, hearing a large crack, and a feeling of easiness.

My shoulder felt wet and in pain, a sharp pain raising my eyes, making the morning not as groggy, feeling alerted.

(Why is it wet and painful?)

I looked to my right shoulder and saw a purplish bite mark, with saliva in it.

(A lovebite?? but who could..)

I immediately looked at Marisa, who had her eyes scrunched.

(Doesn't a magician's bite cause very weird dreams?)

She seems to have awaken, as she adjusted herself with her arms outstretched.

I immediately began to feel cold sweat on my head, realizing what I done from screaming.

(Oh great...I woke her up...but she bit me so....haha PAYBACK!)

Marisa yawns loudly with her mouth wide open while her eyes begin to open up.

"Ken...What's wrong...your hair looks funny.." said Marisa, while rubbing her eyes.

(Don't you get bedhead too?)

"I know....I usually get it when i wake up."

Marisa giggles and hugged me with her arms outstretched, making me lay down again with her.

"Please.....don't leave me....like" Marisa stuttered.

I looked at Marisa with a befuddled look.

(What? She doesn't have bedhair.....and why was her part of the hair still braided?)

(Wait why would i care about that at a time like this....Who is she talking about?...unless she's a valley girl.)

Then Marisa lets go, as I sat up again.

"Ken....I had a terrible dream where this lady with the dolls killed you and left me here to...cry, I was getting mushrooms when I heard noises in my home. You were laying there on the ground lifeless with lances sticking out of your body as some dolls kept stabbing at you. I was too stunned to react, she....that lady..just left, I'm glad you're alive!" said Marisa.

The imagination of Alice killing me was just too impossible, i almost laughed but i kept quiet, in order not to upset Marisa.

She hugged me again while sitting up and began to cry.

"Don't leave me....please....like someone in my life who...did" cried Marisa.

(I am really getting confused about WHO this person is.)

She pressed her face into my chest as i hugged her back with my arms around her.

"Don't worry...I'll be here" I said, comforting Marisa.

"Ken.............you are so warm like a mushroom. I just want to eat you up" said Marisa, instantly cheered up.

(How suggestively bipolar can you get?)

"Thanks?" I said, a hint of sarcasm detected in my tone.

Then Marisa seemed to brush her hand on my chest all morning long to my chest while continuing to hug me.

(Oh that's right....i need her to teach me how to do danmaku..I'm getting tired of just sitting here anyway.)

"Hey Marisa?" I asked.

Marisa looked up to me with a smile, her eyes red.

"Do you think.........you can....teach me danmaku?" I popped.

Marisa smiled and giggled as she let go and eagerly gets off the bed, leaving the bed in somewhat of a mess though.

"Of course, ze~! I will meet you outside!" said Marisa.

Marisa quickly maneuvers through the junk and opens the door, then she turns back, and nodded.

I smiled and waved back...

(Jeez how bipolar can you get?)

Marisa blushed while smiling and went downstairs, her steps being audible on the stairs.

I sighed while i got off the bed, feeling a lack of energy.

I looked at the Tsurugi....still in the same place I left it among other junk, slightly leaning against the bed now.

(I have a feeling i am going to need this....)

(I don't want to hurt Marisa....But i am going to need something to protect myself with....)

"KEN~! WHERE ARE YOU~! GET OUTSIDE OR ELSE I WILL THROW IN A "HOW TO DODGE A SPARK~!" sung Marisa loudly.

(SHIT!!!)

I quickly grabbed the Tsurugi and mounted it on my shirt supported by the neck, still in its holster.

I quickly hovered over the junk and went downstairs....

"Coming~!" I replied.


	12. Chapter 11

**Ken's POV**

I quickly ran downstairs while the Tsurugi clanged and slid against the wall on my right. Downstairs, I saw that the door was wide open.

Quickly I flew out of the house with speed, almost hitting a tree while rushing, managing to get enough motor control to stop myself just five feet before the tree.

I began sliding on the ground due to inertia, struggling to control my speed.

After I stopped, I looked around for any sign of Marisa, nowhere in sight.

(Where is she?! If she wanted me out here so quickly in the first place, she should have been here.)

"Ken! Over here~!"

I made a 360 leaping slightly in the air, hearing Marisa behind me, she was leaning against the white wall of her house with her hat tilted forward, and a toothpick in her mouth, curving upwards.

(No...It just doesn't work for Marisa. Nobody likes a country witch!)

"Oh there~ you are! That would have been useful five seconds ago" I remarked.

(Maybe i shouldn't have rushed with such speed then, wouldn't she have noticed though?)

Marisa stood up from leaning on her house, spat out the stick straight into the ground, tilted her hat up, and smiled mischievously.

"What a big entrance you made earlier! You are going to get yourself killed if you do that in a danmaku battle, ze~!" said Marisa.

(Obviously)

"Yeah my mistake. Wait a second you threatened to spark me if i don't get down here quick enough. You made me go through such a rush in the first place!" I claimed.

(And It's all your fault! Take THAT logic!)

"You could have just jumped through the broken window!" replied Marisa, shaking her head.

I looked up to see one of the windows in Marisa's home broken, then looked down on the ground to see the Holy Grail, rendering me speechless.

(Oh yeah, i forgot about that.)

"Enough talk! Ready to learn, daze?" impatiently said Marisa, tapping the ground with her right foot repeatedly.

Marisa began to grin evilly, giving me shivers down my spine.

"Uhhmmmm,Yeah I am Ready?" I said, making a small gulp.

(She doesn't look very comforting with that smile.)

Marisa braced herself by spreading her legs apart to shoulder length. With a wave of her arm, she let out a fast single circular bullet.

(Ok I can do this, I will learn how to use Danmaku..and make spell cards. I should probably first know what a bullet feels like.)

I stood there, prepared to take the bullet head on, about to hit my shoulder.

(Time to feel what the bullet feels like. Note to self: Use pain as cue for motivation and alertness.)

As soon as the bullet made contact with my skin, it dissipated, leaving a small burn mark and a burning feeling for a few seconds.

(Damn that hurts, hurts even more when alcohol was poured on a small wound I had before.

I looked at Marisa who looked bewildered, while narrowing her eyes at me.

"What are you doing? Are you supposed to be moving?" Marisa asked.

"Feeling what danmaku feels like. Now this time i am dodging, I just needed to know what it felt like" I answered.

Marisa shrugged her shoulders, giving off a smile before, with a wave of her arm, let out the same bullet towards my shoulder.

I quickly dodged to my right as Marisa made another bullet to my current position now.

Then i went to the left, Marisa threw another bullet there, while shaking her head.

(Am I doing something wrong? I'm pretty sure I'm dodging the bullets.)

As I alternated directions in my dodging, Marisa did the same with her bullets, beginning to tire me out.

I quickly hyperventilated, stopping to put my hands on my knees, letting a bullets graze by my face dangerously when I leaned forward.

Marisa stood there angry and disapproving, while crossing her arms.

"What are you doing? You are supposed to GRAZE, not waste your energy like that. Use very little movement as possible to CONSERVE!" Marisa said, irritated.

(I'm sorry! I never was good at super-grazing in the games!)

"Ok Gotcha! This time it will be different.

**Marisa's POV**

(Jeez, He's so stubborn, for someone I love.)

(Now hopefully he gets this right! Mima would have him be whipped for that!)

I waved my hand while focusing on a blue ball in my head, making a bullet come out from thin air, propelling towards Ken at a fast pace.

Ken stood there and moved his head to his left while the bullet grazed his hair. Ken's eyes cringed for a moment when the bullet passed by.

"Like this?" said Ken.

I gave him a thumbs up, before saying, "Just don't close your eyes when it comes, there's gonna be a whole lot more than just one bullet.

Ken nodded while I waved my hand sideways, making a wave of three-way bullets as they spread outwards.

(This is a simple pattern, all Ken has to do is dodge the bullet that's coming towards him.)

He simply shifted to his right as the bullets passed him.

(And he did it perfectly, time for something harder.)

I snapped my fingers, making a red homing bullet and a wave of 20 blue bullets in random directions but mainly going forward.

Ken opened his eyes wide as he struggled,backing up and managed to maneuver through the random bullets but got hit by the homing one on his elbow.

"Ow~! That's insane!" Ken complained.

"This is why Danmaku battles are fought in the air, ze~! Plus, if you go up against another person, he won't be as forgiving as me and unleash, maybe 30-50 bullets at a faster pace" I said.

"Well then let's go up. I'll try to focus, but don't go easy on me!" Ken pleaded.

(That's the first time I heard somebody accepting the harsh bullets. Ken is a bit weird.)

We both flew up into the air while I let out a series of multicolored stars spinning around me as the density increased around me, before I let them out.

In every direction they flew, It was a pattern as the first wave went slightly right, the second and third waves slightly left,  
and the last wave slightly right and all were very close to each other as the bullets weaved through each other.

(If Ken could just read the pattern, and just move forward when the opportunity presents himself, he could make it! Then that's when I can really play!)

Ken hovered in the air for a bit, observing the stars then moved forward, successfully grazing the bullets.

I smiled while Ken readied himself in case of another attack from me, staring at me attentively.

(You don't have to stare at me to dodge! Wait you aren't that good yet!)

"Don't forget Ken, think about your spell cards. There is no limit of spell cards you can have in a Danmaku battle.

Ken grinned evilly, glancing up with his hand on his chin.

(Ooo~! Looks like I got him started!)

"Now it is your turn to use danmaku, its just like flying...imagine the bullet you want to shoot, and then will it to go forward. IT'S NATURAL~!" I yelled.

"That's it? Just that?" replied Ken.

I nodded my head.

(I hope he doesn't try to pull off something stupid. Unless he's trying to be flashy, then that's ok!)

**Ken's POV**

(Let's start simple, I hope this doesn't backfire on me the first time like flying did.)

Digesting Marisa's words in my head one more time, I imagined a small blue ball that's white with blue slightly jagged edges, like a fuzz ball.

I extended my hand out in front of me, a blue ball appeared in front of my hand.

"Shoot!" I yelled.

Then i willed it to go forward with my head.

The ball moved really slow, making Marisa cracking up as she bent her back backwards to dodge it in a playful manner.

(Wow, it didn't backfire on me! It humiliated me.)

A feeling of shame passed through me while I looked down on the ground, feeling my energy be sapped.)

(Then again, this is my first time.)

I immediately gotten enthusiastic, with my vigor rising.

"Make it faster~! I can even drink sake and dodge this~!" sassed Marisa.

(You can count on that! I got a present for ya!)

I smiled as I imagined 3 large white edged balls that swells to black in the middle able to create homing bullets in its trail.

[A/N:The large white edged balls swelling to black in the middle will be known as Globe bullets.]

(Heh...just like Psi. Just without the complicated instruction about constructs.)

I did the same motion..and popped up the three balls that I had in my head.

(Now this time, I should seriously make it go faster and make bullets on its own.)

They stood in place in front of me, ready for orders.

"Forward~!" I said.

They moved quickly while Marisa simply floated to her right in between the two globe bullets, grinning while holding a peace sign with her right hand in front of her head.

(That would have been perfect especially if a certain reporter swooped in and took a picture.)

"Good....but..can you really.....uh oh~!"

I grinned when she finally saw the three rows of small balls i made, and she was in between them.

(I didn't think she be fooled that easily.)

I snapped my fingers as they began to home onto her, a sense of doubt passing through me.

She quickly moved up through the rows before they begin to activate from bottom to top, sweat began to run on her forehead.

They started to home in on her from behind.

"hahahahaha..OW~!" I gloated, before exclaiming pain.

Marisa had quickly charged towards me and hit me overhead with her broom, before backflipping in the air high enough to dodge the bullets coming at her from behind.

The homing bullets lost their target as they continued to move forward at me!

I quickly raised my hands and brought them to my head in fear, making them disappear luckily.

(She's so clever she can do flashy moves and use them to make my bullets come at myself.)

Marisa went up close to me as she began to hit me with her broom overhead.

(Oh no you don't!)

I quickly moved backwards, dodging the overhead strike.

(Time to use this sword i have for good use.)

I unsheathed the Tsurugi partly from its holster, stepping forward, I then tried to slice her from the sheath in typical samurai style.

She parried it with her bamboo broom before jumping backwards.

(What the hell!! Melee combat?!)

"Hey~! I thought it was just danmaku. There's melee now?!" I said, confused.

(If it is allowed, then i get to rip her another one!)

"You can get in close combat if you wanted to~! There's nothing here to stop you from doing anything!" lectured Marisa.

(Hmm, that's true.)

"The spell card rules all simply say it restricts your ability to kill with even the most lethal danmaku and melee. So you can't kill me by cleaving me with that piece of junk. But that doesn't mean it can't cause cuts that bleed. So it's possible to FAINT in the middle of battle" Marisa continued, putting emphasis on the word FAINT.

(Piece of junk my ass~!)

(I almost sliced Marisa with my Tsurugi, but then it can't kill in a battle like in Gensokyo.)

"EVERY HIT YOU TAKE and MAKE ALSO SAPS YOUR ENERGY~! Remember that!" Marisa said, sharply.

(So basically, It's more like the fighting games i played.)

Marisa began to thrust her Broom forward at hip level, half a second later, it made a large bright star at a quickened pace.

"Radial Strike!" yelled Marisa.

(I wonder if this will work.)

I braced myself, while twisting my body to my left, with my hand tightly gripped on the sword.

(Surprisingly, this sword is pretty light.)

When the bullet came close, I twisted my body in the other direction, trying to slice the bullet with momentum.

Surprisingly, it worked, making it disappear, but it pushed back the sword heavily, making me cringe.

(Ok, so it's not as stable as I thought.)

"Cutting bullets?" said Marisa. " I tried that with my broom, but grazing just takes less energy by alot, ze~!"

(Yeah thanks for the late advice.)

Marisa braced herself as she began to thrust her broom forward again, making me roll my eyes.

"Radial Strike~!"

Then with a wave of her free hand, a dense concentration of large stars appeared around her and started to fly in every direction, along with another dense concentration that did the same thing but have smaller stars.

"Magic Sign MILKY WAY~!" declared Marisa with a bored voice.

I braced myself with my legs spread out then I dodged the Radial Strike matrix style.

Marisa clapped on while the dense concentrations kept firing.

"Ooo~! Neat dodge! But it's needs more flashiness~!" judged Marisa.

(How could it get more flashier than that?)

I quickly leaned back up, feeling a slight pain on my spine, and quickly saw an opening straight to Marisa.

Then I concentrated, waiting for another opportunity as the stars grazed me with every little movement i make.

Then there was another opening, making me grin.

(NOW!)

I flew at probably Mach 2 that was enough to make a sonic boom that blew the stars off their course as i extended my leg for a kick.

(Hmmm...this really does feel like Scarlet Weather Rhapsody.)

I nodded as I dangerously closed in towards Marisa as she was preparing for another Radial Strike.

(That half-second is a little too late!)

I managed to connect my foot with the end of her broom, kicking it off and jerking her hand in a random direction.

(Oh yeah I am the....ouch!)

Her hand was influenced by it so much that it affected Marisa's body as she spun around quickly and..

Marisa backhanded me in the face really hard, making her giggle.

(This speed is really dangerous and risky to use...That better not happen again.)

Marisa continued as there is now a red spot on my right cheek.

I kept up a stern face as I imagined my next attack.

(Let's do a surprise attack....Seeker style. Something that she wouldn't expect!)

(What the....)

Marisa reached in her hat with her hand with a dangerous grin, which could only mean...

(Oh crap. I knew she was going to throw in the lesson!)

I backed away quickly as I prepared to graze for the inevitable.

Marisa gotten out her signature Hakkero, only used by Marisa for one thing.

"Love Sign! Mas~ter Spark~!" declared Marisa, her Hakkero pointed at me.

A sigil appeared under her feet as her hat began to raise up on its own.

Then a white beam with ring insignias emanating from the Hakkero rushed to meet me in immense size.

I quickly moved to my right until it looked like it was good enough distance from the spark.

(Haha Take tha-uh what!?)

Marisa began to move her spark towards me, making me circle her while she moved her spark.

I flew past my original spot twice while something began to materialize in my hand.

Instinctively, i know what it was and held up it in the sky on a safe distance from Marisa's spark.

"Seeker Sign! AMBUSH~!" I declared, feeling energy swell up in my back.

the card dissipated as four Globe bullets appeared behind me in flanking formation and then lunged towards Marisa.

"Is that it?" Marisa jeered.

Marisa simply moved her spark as she destroyed the two on her right, and cocked her head to her right to dodge the ones on her left..  
"Hahaha..I just annihilated and dodged your homing bullets." Marisa said, while laughing at my expense.

(So Straightforward of yourself Marisa, did you realize this?)

I snapped my fingers as the two remaining bullets became white shining disks that changed direction and quickly sped towards Marisa from behind.

Marisa didn't notice over the sound of her own Master Spark when she got hit by the two disks.

"Urk!" grunted Marisa, as the bullets pushed her forward.

The disks canceled Marisa's spell, Marisa clutched her Hakkero as the Master Spark slowly turned smaller and smaller until it disappeared.

She put a hand on her back, panting heavily.  
"You interrupted my love spell~! That wasn't fair! Enough danmaku...you learned enough!" said Marisa, discontempt.

Marisa withdrew her hand from her back, grinning at me.

"hehe, you even already have a spell card!" remarked Marisa. "I knew the mushrooms I put in that one bowl sparked your creative process."

(Woah, Are you saying I'm on a beneficial high? Like Absinthe?)

I looked at my hand and looked at the design of my card, that reappeared before my eyes. The design was a person about to get hit from behind with a white disk.

(Seeker Sign Ambush? Looks like my idea was powerful enough for it to be a spell card. It does feel like it will eventually become useless though. Nah, I'll keep it until people notice.)

Marisa giggled while flying down to my level and looked at my spell card.

"You could really surprise someone with this, ze!! I wonder what Reimu will think!" said Marisa.

(Oh that bitch will probably see it coming with her HAX signs and her super armpits of doom.)

"How many spell cards do you have since there's no limit to what we have?" I asked, curious.

Marisa reached in her blouse and pulled out a huge deck of cards.

(Holy Shitsicles!)

"That's a lot" I said, averting my eyes towards the cards.

"Well there's some of them I don't have to declare like Bosky Sweeper and Radial Strike, others like Meteoric Shower i have to declare.

(This danmaku system I am going through is definitely like Scarlet Weather Rhapsody but without all those system cards and weather stuff crap. Those were useless anyway. Hold up, why did she declare Radial Strike then?)

"Then how come you declared Radial Strike?" I asked, curious at this controversy.

"I wanted to give you a heads up. You're still a beginner, but you aren't at that elementary kid level anymore" Marisa answered

(Stupid meme....)

I felt another card in my shorts pocket, I took it out and looked at the image where a person seemed to be in the air kicking.

(Mach sign Sonic Kick? Oh that was the one i knocked out the broom with, the one that made Marisa backhand me.)

Marisa looked at my other card, with great discontempt.

"I don't like that one, it takes out half of my attacks. I use my broom a lot, ze~!" remarked Marisa.

(Well that's good for me then...)

Marisa went through some cards in her deck until she found a certain card.

(Her signature move.)

"This comes so handy because i don't have to declare it! And I can wreak havoc quickly too with long range, daze~! said Marisa. "That! and i don't have to go easy on you no more, ze~!"

(Um...wait. Did she just say long range?)

(What if she was aiming down at me with her Master Spark...what did she hit?)

"MARISA~!" A scream echoed.

I turned around to the direction of the distinct yet familiar voice, recognizing it as Reimu's.

I looked at the "havoc" Marisa caused and see it made a huge mark on the courtyard.

(Oh Shat!)

Marisa shrunk in colour, twitching her eyes. I quickly grabbed her hand and pulled it towards the Hakurei Shrine, Marisa blushes before she looks at me questionably.

"I don't wanna die~!" said Marisa, timid of Reimu's possible punishment.

(I would be scared too of that miko, but this is the only way.)

"Let's go apologize to her, you can erase your mark by helping Reimu. And i can tell she misses you a lot" I explained, a hint of sarcasm in the last part.

"...Fine..." Marisa answered.

(Gensokyo is crazy.)


	13. Chapter 12

**Ken's POV**  
(Hmmm.....I really don't want a battle to happen between Marisa and Reimu.)

(Sure they are best friends but Reimu may try to provoke combat from me too. She is a friggin' Youkai exterminator.)

(If that's the case, i wouldn't survive long since its REIMU. I need a more subtle way)

I shuddered, thinking about getting hit by Reimu's balls. Marisa recovered her broom from when I kicked it out of her hand earlier, while cracking her hand.

"Ken, ready to go?" asked Marisa. "I don't like this."

"Wait Marisa, i have a plan" I said.

(At a cost.)

**Reimu's POV**

I stand awestruck at the huge mark in the courtyard, the grass seared, and part of the courtyard back. Marisa used Master Spark on my courtyard, making it look inauspicious. I narrowed my eyes towards the faint two people in the sky, appearing to be doing something, while I readied my ofuda in my hand.

(Those damned idiots!)

I screamed Marisa's name, looking with disdain towards the mark on the ground in front of my shrine now.

(If my shrine doesn't look pretty, that means people are going to think my shrine is inauspicious, and if that happens,)

(No donations!)

I look at the grass around my shrine, beginning to fade out around the shrine. I sighed, reflecting on my life.

(I don't want to live off grass for a long time! The tea is good but it gets boring after a while. And I need my tea if I don't want to go on a rampage in Gensokyo.)

I fell sullen while I turned my back to the mark, walking towards the shrine storeroom to the back of the shrine and dropping the feathery-like Ofuda on the ground.

I grunted, not willing to go to so much trouble to punish Marisa.

(This will be a pain to sweep.)

I heard a boom when I was close to the storeroom, a large burst of wind went through my clothes as they flop high in the air before returning to my limbs. I heard four feet clapped the ground, indicating a landing.

"Eh~?"

I turned around to see a very dirtied Ken with Marisa holding hands. Ken is holding a sword in his hand while Marisa was carrying a broom at her side.

Ken seemed to have tears in his eyes with a very red face, while he let go of Marisa's hand.

Marisa looked horrible, not used to the sudden amount of speed then stopping so suddenly for a few minutes before returning back to normal.

(Impossible!!! This idiot can't have powers like this already....why is he crying...)

Ken looked fine even though some of his clothes were partly singed, his tears dripping down into the ground.

Marisa, having returned to normal, put a reassuring hand on Ken's back and rubbed it up and down.

(Are these two...)

(Just a few days ago, they were angry at each other, and now this happens. What an unlikely chain of events.)

(Time to let them know how I feel about this HUGE MARK ON MY COURTYARD.)

I cleared my throat, getting their attention.

I said, "Marisa~! What gave you the idea to use the spark on my shrine?! You could of destroyed it, and you KEN! you haven't been punished yet....I will.."

Ken ran towards me, dropping his sword onto the ground, and outstretched his arms.

Before I could raise my arms to repel him, he hugged me, in a tight squeeze.

His tears fell down onto my clothes, while I felt embarrassed and surprised at the same time.

(I'm confused. What's going on? Does he miss me? He's still getting his punishment.)

I felt warmth rush to my cheeks, while Ken still embraced me tightly. I looked past Ken and saw Marisa narrowing her eyes towards me.

(After how i treated him, he's hugging me now?)

(But, if he's trying to get away from his punishment like this...I...I)

"Ken....wh-what the...." I stuttered.

"I'm sorry, Reimu, for calling you greedy. And for hitting you with your own money. Please accept my apology" Ken whispered into my ears.

I became shocked for hearing those words, rendering me speechless.

(I never really ever get apologies, let alone from this guy)

"Ken..I...I"

I struggled for words as the hug was quite sudden and surprising, interrupting my thinking process.

(He apologizes.......and is hugging me. No one has ever hugged me before.)

I felt sad, since I was the one who made Ken do this in the first place.

(No Reimu.....be a brave shrine maiden....you can....apologize back. If I know how..)

I started to have tears in my eyes due to Ken's apology, making me grow less angrier of him.

Tears then fell out of my ears landing on his clothes as I wrapped my arms around Ken too, laying my head on his shoulder.

"Ken...I'm sorry too~!" I screamed into his clothes.

Now we were both crying and hugging together, I noticed sudden gasps in my voice while I was crying.

"But i called you mean names" said Ken.

"I almost got you killed" I replied.

We cried for five minutes while we still hugged. I heard footsteps coming towards us, then I felt Ken pulling away from me.

(That....and this...was nice.)

Ken was pulled along with it as Marisa began to drag him towards the spring.

I looked at his face, his face was red with tears in his eyes, he gasps for air while he is being dragged on the floor.

Marisa stopped and looked at me, grinning at me while somewhat twitching her eyes.

"Can we use your spring, Z-ze~?" Marisa asked. "Ken's a dirty boy"

I nodded, Marisa continued to drag Ken towards the spring pulling him by the neck of his shirt.

(hehe...he apologized to me first...and i got my first hug.)

I smiled and giggled, feeling warmth come into my cheeks again.

(I never felt this warmth before...)

Marisa stopped and looked at me again, narrowing her eyes again at me, along with an angry glare.

"Don't get any funny ideas, ze!" Marisa warned.

Marisa walked towards the shrine after putting Ken next to the spring.

"Huh?" I grunted.

(Now that I think about it, this seems a little fishy.)

(.........)

**Ken's POV**

(Wow Reimu can't be that gullible.)

I smiled, my plan fortunately came to fruition surprisingly while Marisa dragged me towards the spring.

(Ah that hurts dragging me by my neck, and my ass is gonna get burned from being dragged like this!)

I held out a thumbs up behind my back while i looked up to Marisa, trying to ignore the pain in my ass.

*flashback

"Ok, Marisa...My plan is to fool Reimu into not punishing both of us." I said. "This may not seem likely, but it's better than running away from her and dying" I said, feeling confident.

We were hovering over the forest of magic after our recent danmaku training, getting the fruits of two new cards.

Marisa shook her head at me, gliding towards me now slowly.  
"I don't know Ken.....Reimu isn't easily as fooled as the others" said Marisa, doubtful of our plan.

(Because of her DIVINE duties to protect the Shrine and blah blah blah...)

(She's just a nosy miko who nobody really likes because she's practically a Mass-murderer.)

"I am going to try to make her feel apologetic by crying" I said. "It may not work, but we gotta confront her somehow"

Marisa raised her eyebrows, then rolled her eyes.

(Oh you disrespecting now?)

"She could just see through that" said Marisa, lazily.

"That's why i need you to make it look genuine, slap me" I ordered.

Marisa opened her eyes wide at me, surprised.

"What?! I don't want to hurt you" said Marisa, beginning to blush.

"I don't care! Just do it! I ain't a friggin masochist but i need you slap me a lot so we don't get our asses kicked" I replied ferociously. "You saw how you backhanded me, making a big red spot on my cheek."

(And it still hurts. I hope I have the right idea in mind.)

Marisa looked at me with a worried face, glancing at my cheek, still red from the accidental backhand.

"Ok" Marisa conceded.

Marisa raised her hand, then she slapped my cheek really hard while averting her eyes.

"Ow" I grunted, feeling my cheek with my hand.

(That's one slap. Like something I remember about hitting the sin sack.)

"Tsk Tsk Tsk You told me too, ze!" said Marisa, toyfully.

"I know! Just keep doing it and don't stop" I said, taken aback by the last word in that statement.

(That sounded really wrong, I hope she gets what I meant.)

I was faced with an onslaughter of slaps, each beginning to hurt more than the other.

(The skin better not erode away to muscle like this.)

Marisa seemed to be increasing in speed, making it hurt more each time, using both of her hands.

(Jeez....must endure pain to make it look realistic...)

I started to tear up, Marisa hesitated for a second but then continued.

After about 2 minutes, my face has a really sharp pain on both of my cheek worse than TWO cold sores in my mouth. Marisa stopped, looking at her red hands.

My face felt really hot and I was crying, feeling tears sooth my cheeks.

(At least i won't get sealed after all this...)

"So why exactly did you need me to slap you, ze?" Marisa asked.

"Make it more realistic, she won't believe me if i only cried. Let's go before its not red anymore.

(My cheeks are going to probably be inflamed for a long time though.)

"Ok, ze!" she agreed.

Then I grabbed her hand, making her blush, and flew towards the shrine with a sonic boom behind us.

(Is it me, or do I hear cheeks flapping and someone screaming. Nah, must be my imagination.)

*Flashback end

I was now lying in the hot spring with only my shorts on. I just finished recollecting about the plan.

(And it still hurts to this day, even dunking my head in the spring didn't help.)

I saw Marisa and Reimu go into the shrine, Reimu having calmed down from the emotional hug I set up.

(Heh, dirty boy I am.)

(Still, Reimu is known for being really nosy. Its a good thing i told Marisa to slap me, but then Reimu's nosiness might still see through it.)

(I also hope Marisa doesn't tell Reimu about our plan....she is that straightforward..)

(If any of that happens, at least we gave it a shot.)

I felt my cheek, a sharp pain coursed through my cheek, making me cringe in pain.

(It still hurts as hell though...ah well time to relax in the the spring.)

I relaxed my muscles while I began to feel good submerging my body in the water leaving only my head exposed.

I closed my eyes and thought about a 101 ways how Obama change the U.S. if he was a Touhou fan.

(hehehe....Yes eye can...I am the Strongest!!!)

An hour passed, my skin thoroughly wrinkled by the water, becoming bored of thinking of any other way about Obama being a Touhou fan.

(There's nothing I can come up with. I can't get past tanks using Master Spark and soldiers learning how to graze bullets)

All of a sudden, my face felt really cold, feeling definitely weird that I am warm and cold at the same time.

I opened my eyes and saw it was dark, with a red fog clouding my vision.

(Hmm~..Red Fog, my face being cold. Its dark now. I did notice when my eyes were closed that what I saw from a bright orange to a blackened reddish color.)

I thought about what could have caused all this, then two words struck out in my mind.

(REMILIA SCARLET! THE CHARISMA BRAT!)

Quickly i rushed out of the spring to tell Reimu and Marisa, then I rushed back in, feeling soothed by the warm waters.

(Shit!!! way too cold!!)

(Ok, I got to get to the shrine really fast, if I flew out the hot spring water really fast, the water would spread around and make me feel even colder.)

(I have no choice but to get out of the spring first, then rush to the shrine.)

I hurried and grabbed my shirt on the edge of the spring.

(3....2...1..GO)

I ran to the shrine as fast as i can while putting on my shirt.

I was just about to reach the door when my shirt got stuck.

(Gah~! I can't see!)

I kept running because I didn't want to die of frostbite, but my vision was hindered in the sense of direction with my shirt over my eyes.

(Damn this really thick cotton.)

Then, I hit a paper wall, It pushed me back with a thud as I fell back with my shirt still stuck.

I groaned, grimacing at the pain on my back.

My legs ended up on the wooden platform as my head was in mid air inches before the ground.

(Hopefully Marisa and Reimu heard that thud....ah my head...)

(Oh crap I'm still outside.....i don't want to die....but now my arms are stuck in the shirt as well.)

The water from the spring on my body hasn't dried, starting to bite back on me by turning cold.

"Brr~" I shivered.

I heard the door slid open, Iheard some giggling, then I felt two warm hands grabbing my legs and pulling me in.

"Ow~!" I grunted.

While they pulled me in, I hit my head against the platform, giving me a headache and hearing more giggling.

After the door was slid close and I was inside, I immediately took off my shirt then put it on properly.

I stood up from the ground, seeing Marisa and Reimu just sitting there with tea in their hands giggling.

(.........useless)

(Oh yeah. I should probably tell them about the messed-up weather outside.)

"Reimu! Marisa! There is a red fog outside!" I yelled.

"Stop making up stupid lies.....i don't see anything" Reimu said.

Then I stood there surprised with my eyes wide open.

(Ehh..she knew i was bluffing?!)

"I saw through your lie when you were at the spring. I didn't want to punish you right then because you didn't cause the mark and the fact Marisa slapped you many times in the face was good enough for me" said Reimu.

(What?! How does she?)

I dangerously glared at Marisa who was sipping her tea then looked at me, shaking her head.

(Did she tell Reimu all about our plan?)

"Anyway, I'm serious~! There really is a red fog out there" I said. "I would still be in the spring if it didn't happened.

I slid open the door behind me, seeing more red fog, as it was even colder, robbing me of the little warmth the shrine offered.

Then it began to enter the shrine so i quickly closed it, in fear of my warmth being robbed even further.

Both girls were sitting there wide-eyed in silence, especially Reimu.

Then Marisa finished sipping her tea and put the cup aside.

"Reimu, Does this mean...?" Marisa asked.

Then Reimu dramatically put her cup down with no tea left. I rolled my eyes.

(Too late for that.)

"I see. This is another........incident" Reimu answered, with a dramatic pause.

(That was a dramatic fail, what hype could you get from the word "incident.")

(Did she just get that from the Touhou Anime Project?)

(Either way it doesn't make a difference right now...)

(This is beginning to turn out like EoSD...if everything else is the same...)

(This may be an easy adventure....I don't know the difficulty though and danmaku takes a whole new perspective in 3D.)

(I guess i will try to assist one of the girls to the SDM and fix this incident i tried to fix for many days on my game, that I failed.)


	14. Chapter 13

**Ken's POV**

The room was silent when Reimu uttered the word incident, both Reimu and Marisa were surprised by this sudden realization while i stood there contemplating.

(I should probably break the silence right now. I'm done thinking.)

"Girls, I think me and Marisa should go and resolve this incident" I said.

(And hope to god I don't die from a vampire.)

Reimu banged the table with her hand aand quickly stood up, while narrowing her eyes towards me.

"You idiot! Do you think you can go up and fix it? It's not that simple" protested Reimu. "You don't even have any experience?"

(Reimu, do you not remember that i play games like this before? Even if that's not even close to what we are about to do)

I sighed, while Reimu kept up her angry stare at me.

"Okay. Listen, RAYYYYMOOOO~!" I yelled, putting emphasis on the last word.

Reimu twitched, her left eye was going through some sort of seizure.

(Jeez, you're spazzing out with that eye. I thought that only happens on television.)

"If this is what I think this is, then I can tell Marisa about how to get past whoever I think is going to get in her way" I said.

(My knowledge from video games shall pull me through!)

"I played this in a game before if the situation is correct, a scarlet fog covering much of Gensokyo, it's all too familiar" I said.

Reimu looked defeated, her mouth slightly hanging.

(I think nobody has ever beaten her reasoning before. It's so damn laid-back here that's why! Something like from To kill a Mockingbird!)

"But.....games are.....You.......amateur" Reimu weakly rebutted, unable to get her words together in a concise sentence.

I frowned at Reimu while I put my hand on her shoulder, Reimu looked up to me now still with her defeated face.

Marisa gave me an angry look before realizing what I was doing, then she nodded.

"Trust me...Reimu...I know what i am doing. Besides, i can handle myself pretty well. You can stay, me and Marisa will take care of this for you" I said. "Just relax and drink that tea of yours. We'll handle this."

Reimu stood there for a second probably digesting my words, then she brushed off my hand and turned her back, crossing her arms.

(I shouldn't have said the last part.)

"Well then, go ahead and kill yourself!" Reimu said. "Don't come to me if you are having trouble."

Marisa looked at her and began to be concerned.

(It seems that Reimu seems to be right now different than what she said. Is that what you mean, Marisa?)

I quickly look at Reimu's face without trying to notify her....she seems to be somewhat blushing, her eyes closed with tears about to form.

(I think i will give her some time to think about this.)

It was then that Marisa quickly looked at me and stood up, putting her cup on top of Reimu's.

"Hey, ze! Since when did i agree to this?" Marisa asked.

(You forgot the main motivator.)

I decided not to let Reimu know about what I was about to tell Marisa when I walked up to her and put my head close to her ear.

I whispered, "Where we are going includes a library full of magical books that can......"

"Ok Ken! Let's go, ze!" sprightly said Marisa.

(That was quick. Just a mention of such things can get her going.)

Marisa readied her broomstick before she looked at me.

"Why not speed us over there, ze?" asked Marisa.

(I think i do know where it is, but I wanna go through the story again in real life! I'm not a guide!)

"Because we might get lost and end up too far out?" I said, doubting my reason.

Marisa simply shrugged and put on her witches hat, but not before she put the Hakkero on her head.

"Ok, ze~!! You can improve danmaku against whoever on the way!" said Marisa.

(Ah, back to your straightforward self, now i wonder if she is going to use magic missile or illusion spark)

"In fact, it may be a good time to improve my sparking abilities, ze~!!" cheerfully said Marisa.

(Illusion spark it is!!)

I smiled and put up a thumbs up... then i went ahead and slid open the door leading to the courtyard.

Marisa went outside, mounting broom and patting a spot on it, motioning for me to come.

"Marisa, wait a second." I said.

Marisa nodded, she suddenly began to shiver as the scarlet fog clouded away the sunlight.

"Ooh, c-c-cold~!" stuttered Marisa.

I glanced at Reimu for a second, she hasn't moved nor changed since the last time i looked at her, although tears were falling out of her eyes now, secretly upset.

I ran to the spring to pick up the I-pod and my sword, mounting it on my back. I quickly ran back to Marisa.

I looked at Marisa, she's shivering while she slowly looked at me, crossing her arms.

"She's going to need time to herself....let's go" I said.

I sat on Marisa's broom hugging her on her waist...she's blushing a little bit while i looked past her.

(This doesn't feel as uncomfortable as I thought it would be.)

"O-O-Ok, ze!! Brrrr!!!" stuttered Marisa.

(Wait a sec, it's still cold out here. We need to hurry on out before we die of frostbite.)

Marisa went and pushed her broom to the air, reducing the scarlet fog's effect on us, as it began to be suddenly a bit more warmer.

"Wait. Hold on" I said.

Marisa paused in the air while she began to look at me.

I observed my surroundings, and then I saw a denser concentration of the scarlet fog in front of me because i couldn't see through it.

(This wasn't in the game....But I'm relying on my hunch.)

"Ok Marisa, do you see that dense concentration of the fog in front of you?" I asked.

She quickly looked around and saw it, then she looked back at me.

"Yeah, ze!!! Why?" asked Marisa.

"It seems to be the right direction...Go into it" I said, suspiciously.

Without warning, Marisa zipped on her broom towards the supposed dense concentration of red fog.

I almost fell back for a second because I got attacked by the G's so suddenly.

(Well, we are covering ground fast, the wind is whipping my face so it should be going fast...Wait what's this?)

I looked around, seeing red bullets coming from all our sides while Marisa continued on forward without giving heed to the bullets.

Marisa doesn't seem to notice until one bullet almost hit her in the face, she grazed it, and then it hit my face.

I rubbed my check as that one really hurt, a warm red spot covered the area.

"Marisa!! dodge the bullets!! I'll shoot" I said.

Marisa pulled out two little stars in a circle, then her and the two options were firing lasers...although a little bit weak looking.

"It takes a while but eventually it gets to full power, ze~!!" Marisa yelled. "Hold on~!"

(At least we don't have to pick up little power or point items, that would be really annoying.)

I randomly shot in the air with random red homing bullets with my right hand while I held on Marisa's broom with my left. Marisa made many sharp turns and flips in the air while I quickly scrunched up my legs to the broom and held on for dear life.

The red bullets i shot blended in with the fog, and hit many youkai, distinct by their death howls and screams.

"Is That So~?"

I looked around for the source of that strangely childish voice.

(Usually, someone who says that is........RUMIA!!!)

I decided to provoke her into the open.....challenging her into a battle.

(We better not get eaten...)

"Marisa, go high up, we need to see better!" I ordered, like some drill sergeant.

"Ok, ze~!" said Marisa.

My stomach lurched as we changed altitude, we are able to see better out in the distance, but the red scarlet fog is still distinct, but not as dense.

I immediately noticed a black ball of darkness coming out of the fog, then it slowly contracted to reveal someone.

Rumia, she has red eyes, short blond hair, and is wearing a black vest and skirt, and a white blouse.

A small red amulet is tied to the left side of her hair, making it look like a ribbon.

(She seems to be in some weird crucifix form...stretching her arms out like that and her legs so close together.)

I chuckled, shaking my head.

"Oh god....She must be as dumb as Cirno i am guessing" I said.

Marisa looked at me, confused.

"Who's they, ze?" Marisa asked.

(Oh yeah, she doesn't know yet)

"Uhmmm~, you will see....but do you see that girl?" I replied.

Marisa nodded her head, confirming that while looking at the girl.

"Whatever you do, do not take her ribbon off of her hair" I said.

Marisa then just looked at me like I was crazy.

"Why?" Marisa asked, doubtingly.

(I really don't want to explain anything right now)

"Just don't.....otherwise we will have to waste a lot of energy, and that means no magical books" I said, slyly.

(That should be good enough.)

(I really don't want to see what happens when we fight EX-Rumia right now)

(Jeez, that buster sword....)

"You know, ze! it sorta feels good to be out.....but then only weirdos are around at this time" said Marisa, stretching out her arms towards the sky.

Rumia must have noticed this while still maintaining her crucifix-like pose.

"Hey! Who are you calling a weirdo?!" Rumia hollered.

"Nobody was talking about you" carelessly said Marisa.

(This sounds too familiar.)

"Why are you arms out,ze?" said Marisa. "Do you want me to think you are a weirdo?"  
Rumia narrowed her eyes before saying, "Isn't this something like _The saint was crucified on the cross_?"

I raised my eyebrows, surprised.

(What the hell? Rumia being Jesus?! Madness!!)

(How did Christianity end up here anyway?!)

"Looks more to me like Man uses the decimal system" said Marisa.

(Wow, you can be mean sometimes Marisa.)

Rumia seems to have taken offense and puts herself in an offensive stance.

"Either way, I'm going to eat you and your friend!" threatened Rumia.

(Like hell you are, who knows what's in your stomach?)

Rumia enraptured herself with darkness again before letting out apparently surprisingly dense bullets.

Then Rumia let out a wave of more bullets, seemingly mercilessly.

(Crap, bullets like these are hard!!!)

Marisa however just easily dodges the bullets, one almost hit me though.

It was a good thing though that Marisa was keeping up her laser while she maneuvered.

Rumia then moved in front of us, while taking out something from her blouse, it appears that she's taking out her spell card.

She held it out in crucifix form again, opening her mouth.

"Moon Sign! MOONLIGHT RAY~!" declared Rumia.

Then two lasers came from her arms while firing small weaving waves of danmaku.

Then she moved the lasers to each side of us, forcing us to be in front of her, limiting our movement.

(Shit, wait a second. This card is only on hard and lunatic in the games.)

(Marisa is going to need my help too. Even if she is dodging easily.)

She kept up her lasers while grazing.

(I need to get off of this broom.)

(I'll figure out how to graze it when i get off this broom)

I got off the broom, hovering on my own in the air, now observing the pattern.

(Hmmm...looks easy...lasers aren't moving and its only simple weaving danmaku that's going outwards towards us.)

"Marisa~!" I yelled

Marisa didn't glance at me one bit, trying to graze danmaku.

"Yeah, ze?" answered Marisa.

"Distract her. I got a surprise for her" I said, while I sported an evil grin.

Marisa nodded, beginning to intensify her power while her beams are starting to glow, making her beam stronger against Rumia.

I waited for a gap in Rumia's danmaku which are pretty easy to spot in this pattern..

(There! Now!)

I raised my feet, unsheathed my Tsurugi and put it in front of me towards Rumia with one hand, and flew at a slow speed to adjust in maneuvering.

(Is that what people in Wuxia flims call wire-fu? Only there's no ultra thin wires holding my limbs?)

My leg was still bent while my other was fully extended. It felt like I was in a chinese movie against some humble assassin.

(Hmmm this could be a spell card. I always love the element of surprise, the look on people's faces are priceless. Let's spice it up with some danmaku.)

I continually flew slowly towards Rumia as she noticed me going in slow speed towards her.

(Ah, so you just noticed. A bit slow.)

(But she isn't going to notice what i am putting into the sword..)

I smiled as I focused on my sword, the sword gave off a very faint white glow.

i neared forward when all of a sudden she canceled her spell card, lasers and the weaving danmaku disappeared before my eyes.

She then gripped my sword very tightly not noticing the bleeding that is about to take place.

(I know youkai like Rumia are very strong but not like this.....only Yuka could do that, of course easily.)

Rumia glared at me hungrily and licked her lips.

"YUM! HUMEEEEEEESSS~!" Rumia cried, her eyes wide open.

(Did she just turn into an Ork?)

(Either way she's dumber than one of them Ork Boyz)

Then i proceeded to let out the energy that was in my sword...

Now the sword grew really bright for a second then grew dull while Rumia looked at the sword.

"Why is this shiny thing......URK~! uttered Rumia.

A very big danmaku bullet came from the tip of the blade as it hit her straight on in the forehead, knocking her backwards with her bloodied hand flaying on her side.

I took this moment to kick off Rumia back to where Marisa is. I put my feet on her head and chest, bent them, then created a sonic boom, pushing back Rumia and me towards Marisa.

It knocked Rumia really far into the ground as i ended up where Marisa is. Marisa grinned as she put up a thumbs up.

Rumia quickly got back up into the air and pulled out a spell card, assuming the crucifix pose again.

(I didn't expect her to be that stubborn.)

"WAAAGH~! Night Sign "Night Bird!" Rumia shouted, spraying drool everywhere.

Rumia assailed us with alternating left and right flaps of bullets continually.

(This one is easy...you can just usually stay in one place....but it never had that many bullets before....)

I start to observe the pattern as Marisa kept up her fire....her lasers became bigger.

(Hehehe it's like the power icons automatically come to her...SHIT)

I grinned as Marisa concentrated, while grazing a bullet that almost hit my eye then I backed up behind Marisa.

I waited for another gap while Marisa pulled out a spell card from her blouse.

Marisa held it up high in the air.

"Meteoric Shower!" yelled Marisa.

Then she held out both her hands while her card disappeared, then out came many big stars towards Rumia, spreading out easily.

(The stars seem to prorate big time....but who am I to judge Marisa's Raw Destructive power?)

Rumia quickly canceled her spell card to dodge five stars by moving left...then another 10 stars hit her.

Rumia held her head with both hands, her clothes were singed and her skin seared...her bloody hand dying the blond hair.

"Uuu~..Is that so~!" yelled Rumia, in pain.

(That's starting to get really annoying....)

(You could have just stayed still and get hit by less stars)

She reached for another spell card and barely lifted herself to crucifix position.

(Why would you do that again and again?)

"Darkness Sign "Demarcation~!" declared Rumia, exasperated.

(Doesn't Demarcation mean marking off a boundary or something...)

Rumia made circular spread weaving danmaku waves, releasing them for each second.

(Huh this is easy...where's those aimed bullets I remember from the game?)

Then Rumia flapped her arms to and fro as blue cluster bullets were aimed at me and Marisa coming from Rumia's flanks.

(I shouldn't think of stuff like that....)

I barely was able to graze the blue bullets while maneuvering through the weaving danmaku.

Two blue bullets managed to hit my leg, but I ignored it since if i responded to that, I would be hit with a lot more bullets. I grunted in pain, becoming more alert in this situation.

(Come on Ken....Don't let that distract you)

Marisa on the other hand, made it look very easy with slight movements.

(I can't do this........this is very sad considering it's Rumia!!)

(I gotta end this now...)

When i got past the aimed blue bullets by grazing and seeing a gap in the weaving danmaku.

I rose in altitude as i plan to kick her down to the ground.

Then I rushed forward and used a sonic boom to knock away all the bullets around me.

I extended my leg as i closed in and...

BAM!!!

I kicked Rumia in the chest just below her head straight into the fog and possibly a forest, since I heard leaves being rustled and branches being broken.

The demarcation spell card was canceled as Rumia disappeared.

I simply hovered over to Marisa who was grinning and blushed a little bit while I got close to her.

"You did good, ze~!" said Marisa.  
"Hehe..Thanks!" I replied.

I then put my face to Marisa's, her face blushing wildly, and pecked her face before drawing away.

When I withdrawn, a very bad feeling swept over me.

(Why do i have this feeling....)

"Chu~"

I opened my eyes wide while Marisa looked at the source of the pain, her eyes became wide open as well.

"EEK~!" screamed Marisa, with a shrill voice, making me cover my ears.

(Ow....)

Rumia, apparently having survived te kick, was biting down hard on Marisa's Shoulder.

"I wunna wheat you!" said Rumia. "You're tasty."

Anger welled up inside me while Marisa tried to push off Rumia's head, but Rumia bit down even harder, causing Marisa to tear up.

(Why you little PIG!)

I held Rumia by her hair, pulling her up with her blood-soaked hair, making sure she can't bite me.

Rumia continues to snap at me with her mouth trying to reach my arm now.

(You better not have rabies of some kind!)

"Uuu~, But she's deli.."

Then I rushed towards the ground with Rumia going to hit the ground first, an evil smile replaced my frown.

I didn't notice Rumia was scared when she struggled to take my hand off of her hair by banging her fists on it.

Boom!

Dust kicked up in the air as there is a child-sized crater in the middle of the red fog, making me shiver.

Rumia dropped her arms lifelessly as she began to be unconscious.

(Grr~....Why isn't it that you can't just leave people alone....)

The surroundings around me got brighter as daylight finally broke through the fog, but it's still there.

(Huh...I did remember something about Rumia making day seem like night....oh crap MARISA!!!!)

I quickly rushed up into the sky, seeing Marisa with her hand on her bitemark.

Quickly I got up to her level, and saw the bite mark had a black inflammation instead of red.

(What is this?)

"Uuu~...it hurts so much" cried Marisa.

I hugged Marisa as tight as I could, i felt her tears on my cheek as I rubbed her back.

"Marisa...Marisa...it's going to be ok...It's going to be ok" I assured.

Marisa kept on crying as she wrapped her arms around me.

After about five minutes, Marisa let go and looked at me with her cheeks blushing, and her eyes still tearing.

She reached into her blouse and pulled out a small mushroom that was red and white.

(Mushrooms. Of the things you bring, you bring mushrooms.)

She popped it in her mouth and chewed it, albeit slowly.

Then she swallowed, still crying while the mushroom went down her throat.

Then the wound immediately began to get better as the black inflammation lessened, but not by much.

"Uuu~" groaned Marisa, holding her head with her hand.

(We need to solve this incident quickly!!!)

"Marisa...Don't worry....where we are going has a person that could heal that" I said, hesitantly

(I hope Patchy can do that....)

"R-R-Really?" Marisa stuttered.

She appeared to stop crying as hope began to regain.

"Yes....I will MAKE her heal you if I can" I said, with reassurance and false confidence.

(I have a feeling I can't)

"Ken...Let's go, ze!" Marisa said, cheered up now, and no longer making tears.

She immediately began to head in the direction we were going.

I grinned as she got back to her old straightforward self, while I followed her.

After about 20 minutes of traveling Gensokyo on Marisa's broom,

"Hey I see a lake, ze!" Marisa yelled.


	15. Chapter 14

**Reimu's POV**

I stood there while the door was open, letting in the cold air and the scarlet fog.

I didn't care though, even if my entire body is cold.

Tears run down my face as the teardrops fall to the ground while my arms are still crossed.

"Uuu~" I moaned.

(I...I did it again)

(That dumbass Ken, he made me do something like this again....)

I dropped down to the floor on my knees, my limbs weak and shivering

(I am the protector of Gensokyo....and this is what happens...)

(He made me shook off my duties to investigate.)

I tried to wipe the tears off of my face with my sleeves, but I still kept crying.

My heart was beating fast, I felt warmth come to my cheeks, making at least my face warm.

(Ken....He's going to get himself killed....again...but)

(Even if Marisa is with him....I.I..want..to)

(M-Marisa is with him....i know she likes him....and they have done things together, from what she told me about him.)

(I...want...I need..)

Then an image of Marisa kissing Ken appeared in my mind, and then me just sitting alone with tea, a plate of another teacup sitting by idly.

(I..I...Need..)

An image of of Marisa and Ken walking away, their backs turned towards me, and with their hands entwined, kept appearing in my mind.

(...Someone)

Then my hands at my sides turned to fists....

(No....I shouldn't...it's too risky....unseal)

**Ken's POV**

(A lake?....that means....)

"Uuu~! It's cold, and I'm not even touching the water, ze!" exclaimed Marisa.

(MISTY LAKE!!!)

(Oh wait, that means it's cold. Wasn't the whole point of going up in the first place was to get away from getting cold?)

I forgotten that my body was sweating, trying to get rid of the heat I generated earlier.

(....I take that back...I don't like being stinky anyway.)

I quickly hovered to where Marisa was, trying to extend her foot into the water.

(Ok, we can have a little break. But we gotta cross it quick before anything happens with that bitemark on Marisa.)

I looked at Marisa, who tried to touch the water with her toe but jumped back and shivered.

(There's no weakness so far, her reaction time is normal, but something can happen. And we need to hurry soon.)

Then I hovered over to Marisa, who seemed to be shaking violently.

As soon as i got close, she hugged me very tightly.

Marisa was very cold, while she slowly was chilling me to the bone.

(Gah! Stop taking my warmth..)

"Hey Marisa, Let's go higher since the water is really cold" I suggested, attempting to get Marisa off me.

Marisa still held on, stubbornly not listening to me, while she snuggled up to me.

I sighed, shaking my head.

(Well, I guess she doesn't want to do anything, the bitemark probably makes her more lazier)

I simply hovered up in altitude slowly, taking Marisa up too, while for some reason Marisa held out her arm and her broom soon got into her hands.

(But i want telekinesis, that's so cool!)

"Hey you have another card, ze~!" said Marisa, feeling my pocket with her hand.

She reached into my pocket and pulled out a card i didn't recognize, while I felt like I lost my personal space.

"Counter Sign Broken Sword? It looks very useful, daze~!" said Marisa, excited.

(That last part of the spell card sounds really familiar.)

I let go of Marisa's embrace and held out my hand, expecting her to put it on my hand.

She put the card face up on my head and i see.

Two hands holding a sword while the sword shoots or makes a slice in the air without moving was the picture on the card.

(Hmm. It does look useful, It says I can also immediately cancel a spell and switch to this one at will.)

I put it in my pocket, surprised that the I-pod was still in my pocket, unused.

(...What the hell was I doing not listening to music before?)

(Hmmm...Ah well...I'll make sure not to drop it in a lake...)

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw something moving towards us.

I immediately dodged to one direction and cracked my head, alerting Marisa as well. I looked around and see what was coming towards us.

It was a yin-yang ball with four balls orbiting it.

(I don't know if Reimu is out to get me or not....but I did see these in the game before.)

Then it unleashed four knives but only in the direction of the orbiting balls.

I quickly shot at it with a fast blue circle bullet thinking it was going to try to kill me, then it just exploded.

It also let out four bullets in very random directions.

Then a whole horde of them came as they soon were hidden by the mass of knives.

(Well crap. A religion is gonna try to be funny.)

"Marisa~! Yin Yang Ball Attack~!" I yelled, even if she was already alerted by their presence.

Marisa immediately got on her broom and threw out her options, making white glowing beams, piercing through the yin-yang balls.

I also shot at them, utilizing the globe bullets that can make homing bullets in their trail.

As we killed more of them, it made it seem that five replaced one that exploded.

(This isn't helping. This wouldn't be as stressful if they didn't unleash danmaku when they die.)

(Ouch....)

One of the knives managed to graze my arm barely, creating a small laceration on my forearm, blood didn't pour out.

Then I was hit in the right leg while it was raised with two straying green bullets, jerking it down.

(Ah...I can't keep up....This is bad.)

(Wait a second....Here's an idea, which would have severely hurt my score if I gone through with this.)

I stopped shooting the globe bullets, and immediately looked over at Marisa, who seemed to have trouble dodging as well.

"Marisa stop shooting~!" I yelled.

The yin yang balls stopped exploding only letting out the knives now as they moved away from us, Marisa's white beams disappeared.

"Why?" Marisa asked, confused.

"If we shoot more, it's a waste of energy right? There's no point to shoot these balls if they explode with danmaku making us dodge even more. Thus, it will make us lose our energy." I explained.

"Oh~. I see why, thanks Ken. That was smart of you to notice." said Marisa, grinning.

(Well of course I'm smart, see? Notice the severe lack of green bullets to distract us from the knives.)

Me and Marisa now have a much easier time, as the yin-yang balls start to go away.

(Jeez, this is insanely easy.)

(Ha! I knew that tactic from Rin's Stage was solid!!)

Soon there was no more yin-yang balls to impede our progress to the SDM.

(Ok...coast is clear..even if there is no coast...we need to move up fast....)

"Marisa, hold my hand and grip your broom tightly, or get on my back" I ordered.

Marisa blushed a little bit before deciding to jump onto my back, I was encumbered, from the weight Marisa had.

(Dang, Marisa is a lot more heavier than I thought)

(Ok time to speed up to the SDM..)

(3.....2.....1....Go!!!)

I quickly made a sonic boom and zoomed through the air with Marisa, but only got through a short distance as i saw a figure up ahead.

(Well can't speed through here...might as well fight....Daiyousei?)

I recognized her by her short green hair with yellow ribbon with the blue dress with white trim and sleeves.

Then i saw her golden wings when I got closer, however, Daiyousei backed up from me when I got closer.

"You...You will not get closer to her!" Daiyousei yelled, her body was shaking while she narrowed her eyes at me.

(Isn't she normally supposed to be scared right now?)

Marisa looked at her closely while she got off my back, making me sigh in relief due to the decreased pressure on my back.

(Gosh this feels really good.)

"I got a good feeling she's easy" snickered Marisa, smirking.

(Yes she is, on normal.)

(I don't have time for this....I'm going to kick her.)

"Marisa....stay he"

I stopped halfway in my sentence since Marisa already begun to use Illusion Spark on Daiyousei.

(Stop ruining my damn plan!)

Daiyousei responded with circle danmaku and homing shards with three bullet lines protruding from her to enclose us in, making it hard for us to dodge.

Little did she notice, she was only shooting at Marisa, I snuck up to her from behind. I first flew up to the top of the clouds quickly, I moved forward a little bit, and then I slowly descended behind Daiyousei. I stood there ready to grab her with my hands.

(I do hope Marisa doesn't mind..)

I put my hands inside Daiyousei's dress from the bottom, and then grabbed her armpits and held them in the air.

(So fairies do wear undergarments...what I didn't know is that the skin of a fairy is so soft and supple.)

Daiyousei canceled her danmaku while I grinned evilly.

"Now if you can just stop shooting my friend, I won't take off your clothes and....well you know the story behind that. My hands are that close to your seemingly small breasts" I threatened.

(God I sound like a serial rapist.)

(But nothing else scares away people like threatening to rape them.)

I heard Daiyousei gulp while she seemed to have stuttered her words.

"I...I..P-Please...CIRNO~!" Daiyousei yelled at the last minute.

(Grrr....useless!!!)

Marisa had a surprised and angry look on her face, closing her fist very tightly and holding it up in front of me threateningly.

(Oh crap..)

Then Marisa opened her eyes wide, quickly pointing towards me.

"Ken! Behind you!" screamed Marisa.

I merely turned around with Daiyousei in hostage, while using her as a shield.

(I never thought i would use a fairy like this...)

Then i slowly backed away as Daiyousei continued to be hit with flying white things that look like birds.

"Uuu~" moaned Daiyousei.

I got to the point where Marisa was just laughing out loud, while dodging the bird's path.

(Good thing she was willing to overlook that.)

The suicidal bird attack continued until 5 minutes later, as it slowly died down and nothing else was in our way.

"Cirno....Where's Cirno?" said Daiyousei. "Please let go of me."

(Why do I have her again?)

(Might as well cop a feeling while I'm at it.)

"Ok. I'll let you go" I said, beginning to loosen my grip on Daiyousei, my hands made it all the way to her hips. "But first..."

I quickly raised my hands again through her broom to grab her breasts.

(Ok, I now know they are small, as expected.)

Daiyousei gasped and went limp on me, her limbs just fell down, and her heartbeat went down.

(Umm, I think Daiyousei is unconscious.)

(Ah well, don't need to use her anymore.)

I simply dropped her in the air, falling towards the lake.

When she was about to hit the lake, A small figure came and took her. Then she threw her behind her with great strength.

She flew up to meet us on the same altitude.

(Cirno...)

She had Aqua-colored eyes, hair and icicle-shaped wings. she's wearing a blue ribbon, a light pink blouse and a blue jumper dress.

She kept a distance from us, shaking her fist at us.

"You meanie!! How could you do that to Dai!" Cirno yelled.

(Ummm if you actually saw the battle...Ok maybe you saw the part where I groped her....but that was it!)

"She's the one who attacked me, so don't blame me" I replied.

I said it so nonchalantly that it irritated Cirno, judging by her angry and puffy face.

Marisa was giggling while she simply laid on the broom watching the discussion, supported her head by her hand while she laid an elbow on the broom.

(Hmmm....Music...)

I reached into my pocket as I took only the I-pod out.

(I'm pretty sure i had earbuds, must have left them at Marisa's.)

I began to simply go to a song, a song that would be so familiar.

(Hehehe, I wonder how Cirno will react when she hears her own voice.)

I scrolled and scrolled while Cirno seems to get angrier and angrier.

"HEY DON'T IGNORE ME~!" Cirno screeched, making me twitch a little bit.

(God, shut up.)

Marisa then decide to interfere in the conversation, although she was kinda laughing at the same time.

"Ain't it summer? So why's it so cold?" asked Marisa.

Cirno ignored Marisa, while she still shook her fist at me as I searched for the song.

(Gah!! Where is it! This is taking forever!)

"You'll never touch land again!" threatened Cirno.

Marisa got ticked off for being ignored, when I glanced at her, she looked irritated with her fist at her side slightly shaking.

"So you were the cold one" continued Marisa.

"I'M GOING TO...Huh? Oh, Better than hot, don't you think?" Said Cirno, stopped halfway in her threat.

"How uninteresting" said Marisa.

"There's something wrong with that"

"It was the best i could do?"

"Ah ha! I found it!" I yelled, jubilant.

Then I clicked on the song and turned it all the way up so the I-pod speaker can blast it to Cirno.

Everyone turned their attention to me as the I-pod began to play Cirno's Perfect Math Class By IOSYS.

After about 23 seconds, the expressions on everyone's face were just priceless.

Marisa was just laughing out loud while Cirno just stood there, wide eyes open, her jaw dropped, and her face flustered.

"Wha..Wha..That's my voice but i don't...uh." stuttered Cirno.

I pointed at Cirno while trying to dance the Cirno dance, getting down to the rhythm of the song.

"Baka Baka! Baka Baka! Baka Baka!" I sung.

(Oh god, I feel like some weird japanese weeabo.)

"Wait no! I'm not an idiot!" said Cirno, who said it at the same exact time as the song.

I could totally hear Marisa coughing because it was just too funny for her.

(I would be laughing too, but the meme got old.)

Cirno's face grew red while she pulled out a spell card from her dress.

"You meanie! Ice sign! Icicle Fall!" declared Cirno.

Then ice shards appear on her flanks as they start to fall from both sides.

(Please be the easy one, please be the easy one.......YES)

There was an ecstatic lack of 5 way spread danmaku yellow balls as I simply moved up and evaded the ice without moving.

I continued to yell "Baka" at her as she keeps getting angrier and angrier.

(I should stop...nah It's funny.)

(She's that dumb to not cancel??? Even Cirno News Network is smarter than that...)

I looked behind me, not at all worried about Cirno to see Marisa dodging, then she looked up at me...

She quickly got to my position when the waves were gone and put her hand in her hat.

She took out her Hakkero, pointing it towards Cirno.

(Hahaha she's going to....oh shit...oh no, we do not want to see that happen here!)

"Marisa Don't!" I warned.

Both Cirno and Marisa looked at me as i yelled, Cirno still hasn't canceled her card yet.

"Remember what I said about ribbons?" I whispered into Marisa's ear.

Marisa grumbled while she put the Hakkero back on her head and under her hat.

"Good" I said. "No more wasting energy for us!"

Then I kicked Cirno who was still surprised at me for somewhat saving her towards the lake.

"No! I'm not done!" said Cirno.

Cirno pulled out another card from her dress and lifted it up high in the sky.

"Freeze Sign! Perfect Freeze!" declared Cirno.

(Oh goody her Signature...)

I pulled back with Marisa to get a good distance from her.

Cirno unleashed a hellish amount of fast multicolored circular bullets in random directions.

Then they just stopped in the air, every one of them turned into white.

It was very cold around the bullets, so cold it's making me feel sluggish and harder for me to move my limbs.

(Ugh. Why is it hard to move!)

Marisa must have thought the same way when she struggled to move faster.

Cirno let out a five way spread danmaku wave that kept getting created until two seconds later, making 5 way columns

I barely grazed them as I still felt sluggish from the earlier white bullets.

Marisa had much better luck since she was naturally faster.

Then the bullets unfreezed as they began to move about in a random fashion.

(Dang...This is harder than I thought.)

I accidentally hit one, giving me a rude awakening, making me more alert and fluid in my motions at the cost of pain.

(Ow...ok Cirno..you aren't cute anymore...die!)

I pulled out a spell card from my pocket.

"Seeker Sign! AMBUSH!!" I declared.  
Instead of the two globe bullets on each side...it grew to five now on each side.

They rushed forward towards Cirno at a very fast pace.

Cirno canceled her spell as they almost got her by the head and legs as she moved, managing to graze all of them.

"Hahahahaha! that's it?! You're Weak! BAKA!" jeered Cirno.

Cirno pointed to me while still laughing, she grabbed her stomach while she bent over, laughing.

I smiled and shook my head as she continued to laugh.

"You know Cirno, spell cards are never that easy" I said.

Cirno began to get confused while her laughing grows faint...

"Huh?" Cirno grunted.

The ten globe shots behind transformed into white disks that began to turn around at a fast pace.

Then they hit...Cirno's ass with a bom! bom!

Marisa just kept on laughing and laughing as the white disks pounded, while they spanked Cirno in the ass at the same time.

(She does need her punishment..)

(That's what you get for being a nine.)

I couldn't help but laugh too as Cirno finally stopped getting hit by the small bullets.

Cirno rubbed her ass as she slowly straighten her back

"Uuu~ that hurt" said Cirno.

"!" I said, laughing during the whole sentence.

Cirno's face grew really red as the song was now back to calling her Cirno Baka Baka.

She stopped and pulled out a spell card from her dress.

"Snow Sign! Diamond Blizzard!" declared Cirno.

Me and Marisa stopped laughing after hearing Cirno declare her spell card.

A massive horde of ice shards flew like diamond dust swept like the wind towards us.

I decided this was the time to finish this as Marisa had an injury on her shoulder.

(Ok now she's just desperate...We can't waste any more time)

"Marisa?" I asked.

Marisa continued to focus on the ice shards as they slowly inch towards us.

"Yeah, ze?" Marisa replied.

(I think i rather risk it...)

(If we end up with an oversized fairy with a big sword, we are getting the hell out of here.)

"Master spark her....but aim LOW!" I warned.

(I really don't want to fight an EX-Cirno now...)

Marisa grinned while she took out her Hakkero once again, a sigil appeared under her feet.

"Love Sign! Master Spark~!" declared Marisa.

The Hakkero began to be float from Marisa's hands, making an ominous yellow aura around it.

The Hakkero spun rapidly as a beam rushed out with ring insignias around it, pushing back Marisa by a lot as she held out her hands.

(Wow! That's raw destruction for you!)

The beam completely annihilated the shards as it was propelled towards Cirno.

Cirno canceled her spell and tried to fly away upwards.

(So now you decide to cancel it when danger is imminent!)

But Marisa simply tilted up her spark hitting Cirno towards the sky.

After the beam stopped and Marisa breathing heavily, I saw a single star gleam before fainting away in Cirno's direction.

(The Nine is Blasted off again!!!)


	16. Chapter 15

**Ken's POV**

(Ok, with them finally out of the way, we need to hurry to the SDM!)

(Although It was kinda fun harassing Daiyousei.)

"Marisa~!" I sung in a low tone, delighted for some reason.

Marisa looked at me in surprise.

"Yeah, ze~?" said Marisa.

"Get on my back, we're going!"

Marisa poofed her broom away in a cloud of smoke while she flew over to me and jumped on my back.

She embraced my neck with her arms while her legs are free and unbound, dangerously hanging free.

(Oh man, she's really heavy! I need to hurry before i die in the lake.)

Marisa was slowly decreasing my altitude, but I went back up and sped to the SDM.

(What did Lishy from Toujinstyle do to Marisa?)

(Speaking of Toujinstyle, i was doing a story in the Touhou General Chat.)

(I remember people like Zeku and Matsu011 who are loyal readers.)

(God i miss that forum, the community isn't as trollish as others, except for the The Mental Shift part. The maid on there likes to put pictures of milkshakes on the topic and derail it.)

I sighed, beginning to see an island with a big building in the middle.

"Hey look...I see a big house, ze~!" Marisa shouted with glee.

I squinted, now seeing a big house, a red one.

The Scarlet Devil Mansion, a very fancy European-Style Mansion that clashes heavily with Gensokyo, standing out. From the back of the building, spewed out the same scarlet fog me and Marisa set out to stop.

I see very few windows in the mansion.

(I figured since there are two vampires living in the mansion.)

I also saw a clock tower, hands indicating that it is 1:32.

(Well, we certainly got here in a short amount of time.)

Then I saw a small wall surrounding the mansion and only one huge gate, there was a courtyard surrounded by the walls in front of the mansion, beholding many colorful flowerbeds neatly organized.

(Guarded by a sleeping dragon i bet........)

I reached the island, seeing the bright golden tiles on the shillings of the roof.

There are many trees that form a forest around the Mansion, no trees are seen in the courtyard.

"Wow....This place looks interesting, ze~!" said Marisa.

(And so begins the stealing spree...)

I looked down and saw some leaves rustling below us in the forest, seeing little holes being formed in the forest.

I stopped and readied myself, Marisa let go and braced herself as well.

Then quickly came knife columns from the forest as the assailants tried to attack us from the ground.

I quickly hovered an inch before stopping, making three knife columns wasted and propelling towards the sky.

(Just like in the game....I think i have an idea....)

(Marisa does have a certain spell card where she goes into the air and rains down a master spark, with adjustable direction.)

"Marisa~!" I yelled.

Marisa was grazing a knife column as it seems to have stopped for now.

Then she looked over to me, while still glancing down attentively.

"Yeah?" said Marisa.

"Do you have a spell card called Dragon Meteor?" I asked.

Marisa grinned while she took out a spell card, holding it out towards me, it had a picture that had a rainbow colored beam pointing downwards towards the ground.

"This one, ze?" asked Marisa.

I hovered close and took it from her grasp, inspecting it.

(Star Sign Dragon Meteor...That's it)

"Yes that's it....I want you to use it on the forest....I will help you maneuver the spark through the forest" I said.

Marisa smiled devilishly while she took out her Hakkero from her hat.

(Doesn't that ever fall out before?)

Then she pointed it at the ground while I took position by putting one of my hands on her hip and the other on her boob.

(She is flat....)

Marisa blushed heavily but readied herself.....

(And to think I am getting away with......SHIT)

I quickly pushed Marisa as I saw knife columns directly below us.

I quickly grazed almost all of the knife columns since I was caught off-guard.

(Crap, they got the element of surprise on us!)

Three knives nipped my left cheek, my shirt sleeve, and my right arm, soon bleeding out lightly.

Marisa quickly glared at me with an angry look while gripping her shoulder, but then stopped glaring when she saw the knives and my injuries.

(I think i did push her on the bitemark. That's a big no-no.)

Marisa suddenly became flustered for a second before letting go her hand off her shoulder.

Marisa looked at me with a smile, nodding.

"Thanks, ze!!!" said Marisa.

I held a thumbs up before getting to Marisa to help maneuver the spark.

Marisa again got to position then she aimed the Hakkero towards the forest.

I got to Marisa and held in the same position.

Marisa held up her spell card in the air.

"Star Sign Dragon Meteor!" declared Marisa.

**Meiling's POV**

I was running on a rainbow, giving off rainbow shards with my feet as i ran on it.

I was chasing a man with a black headband, and a mostly black and white karate uniform.

He seems to have Kanji on his back as I chased the red-haired man.

"You will not get away Akuma!" I yelled in pursuit.

I used my Sky Dragon Kick to speed up to him, leaping up in the air and extending my leg.

I held that pose in the air as the energy from my kick was going behind me in a fury.

He couldn't get away as we descended on the slope of the rainbow.

I finally reached him, I kicked his head as we both began to fall down.

I held up my legs, preparing to kick him down with force.

Then i extended my legs, knocking down Akuma faster with a shockwave in the air.

Then he landed on a pot of golden coins before I landed down on Akuma's stomach, making the coins fly everywhere.

"My name is not China or Chun-li. I am Hong Meiling...Wha?!" I said.

A pile of pink ice cream appears above me before i became bounded by the golden coins, Akuma is nowhere to be found.

I heard cackling in the background as the pile of pink ice cream descended on me.

I was slowly sinking into the pile of gold as i struggled to get myself free, up to my knees.

(BUT I HATE STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM!!!)

Right before the ice cream hit me, I was saved.

I woke up....on the stool I was given to when I was first assigned gatekeeper of the SDM.

"Uuu~! I hope Sakuya doesn't find out I've been sleeping on my job again.

An image of Sakuya lecturing me came into my mind, with a knife in my forehead.

(What the....)

I saw the youkai guards that Sakuya hired before to solve my sleeping problem shooting to the air in the forest.

(Jeez....I hope it wasn't those fairies again....because of them Sakuya had to hire those guards......)

(Ah well, i'll let them handle it....whoever is up there isn't fighting back)

"Star Sign Dragon Meteor!"

(What the.....those fairies don't have those kind of spell cards....)

Then i heard a loud whir....then it hit the forest. A rainbow-colored beam came out of nowhere from above into the forest, seeing the guards run away towards me in fear now evaporated into dust.

I sat with my eyes open and my mouth dropped as the beam neared closer to me.

(Who has this kind of power!!!!)

The beam moved towards me rapidly, I dodged left, lucky that it was the gate that got charred and not me, then the beam stopped before laying waste to the flowers in the courtyard.

(Gasp...)

The forest had a huge swath cut in a straight line...trees that were there were charred as with a black mark instead covering where the trees had been.

Fires were left in its wake as I flew up, noting the insane amount of flora destroyed.

(Those bastards....I will kill them for this....)

Then i saw two people, floating in the air.

One of them has Golden eyes, blond hair, a braid on only one side of her face, and is carrying a bamboo and straw broom. She's wearing a black witch's hat, and a black and light pink outfit with a white petticoat.

The other one has messy black hair, brown eyes, has a sword fastened to his hack, and he is wearing a yellow shirt with blue baggy shorts.

(Such weird clothing these people wear.)

(hehehehe.....wait where are my spell cards...i only have two....)

I looked at my choices which are Flower Sign Selaginella 9 and Shui Xing Tai Ji Quan.

(I need to run back first.....i gotta get all my spell cards for this....)

(Jeez they are getting closer...guess i have to hold them off for a second...)

I took Selaginella as a choice and held it high in front of me.

"Flower Sign Selaginella 9~!" I declared.

Then i thought of a beautiful flower with its six petals slowly breaking apart little by little, falling through the air.

I projected this image into my danmaku making it look likes its blooming.

(It enraptures the opponent then kills it...Beautiful and Deadly....I like it...)

I smiled as I continued the weaving danmaku waves towards the intruders.

(Wait a second, i don't hear anything dying...and i can't see through my danmaku...)

Then I was struck in the back with 7 unknown bullets, canceling my spell.

(What?! impossible!!!)

I saw a grin on a boy's face putting what seems like a spell card in his pocket.

(....They can do spell cards like that?)

"Grr~!" I growled.

"Hehehe come on Meiling...I know you can do better than that!"

I gasped....with a look of surprise on my face, looking at the boy's evil smile.

(He knows who i am?! and called me by my name?....how?!)

I still hovered there in complete surprise when I noticed the girl held out a spell card.

"Meteoric Debris!" she declared.

Then many star-shaped danmaku came toward me in great speed, spreading out.

(Oh no!!!)

I quickly made circular motions as a large rainbow but translucent circular shield materialized from my motions in front of me.

Then a yellow bulge appeared as I used the shield to absorb the stars to charge my own attack.

As soon as the stars were gone, I unleashed the bulge, making a yellow orb that came forward with a fast pace.

The two dodged in different directions, while I turned tail and ran towards the mansion to get my spell cards i left in there.

"Damn It! Gotta run for now!" I yelled.

"I'll let you go, for now" said the boy.

I ran until I reached the door...hoping all of my other cards are in there.

**Ken's POV**

(China....)

She was wearing a chinese outfit with scarlet hair and aqua blue eyes. Her sideburns were braided as she wore a green beret with a star.

She had turned back and ran in the mansion for some reason, couldn't see her anymore due to the scarlet fog hugging the ground.

(I know she isn't this cowardly...she's too moral for that with what her martial arts and all...)

(I think this would be as close as manly as you can get with a Touhou Character...)

(Oh wait there's Kourin and Unzan......)

(I can't believe i had to use my spell card to get past the FIRST spell card...)

(I think that card was only found in Hard/Lunatic stages though......)

I hovered in the air as I unsheathed my sword and Marisa readies her broom.

"She wears weird clothing, ze!" joked Marisa, pointing out the obvious.

"I think she would think the same about us!" I remarked.

Marisa giggled as she blushed a little bit.

"Well maybe you...but me, I'm just wearing ordinary witch's clothing, ze!"

(Exactly my point about us wearing western style clothing...)

Then i saw China come back from the mansion only her breasts seems to be stuffed more, flying up into the air.

(Maybe China doesn't have natural boobs either! Is everyone in the SDM flat?)

"Ah, thanks back there!" said Meiling.

[A/N: China and Meiling are the same person]

(I remembered the conversation between Marisa and China during the game...I think i'll speak for Marisa)

I looked at Marisa while she was about to talk.

"Marisa, wait" I said.

I held up my hand to signal her to stop.

Marisa then shut her mouth and looked at me curiously.

I then faced China, who was still expecting an answer, crossing her arms.

"It's been a while" I started.

"Hey wait a minute, when did we become acquaintances?" asked Meiling.

"Just now?"

"Then how did you know my name?"

That caught me off guard for a little bit...

"....I seen you grow up..."

"Oh yes, and you're as sneaky as ever Cao Cao."

(What? She thinks i'm Cao Cao? Her tone wasn't sarcastic....I guess I'll play along...)

[A/N: A warlord during the Three Kingdoms era in Ancient China]

"Err...um...yes...And you're in my way..Are you some kind of guard?" I asked.

"And so, I'm in Cao Cao's way" said Meiling, smirking.

I twitched, before letting out a sigh.

(This is kinda getting annoying)

"So you are a guard" I confirmed.

"I'm just a normal person that guards" said Meiling.

"So then, you're a normal person. I'll punish you here!"

"Hey! What have you been taught?"

I looked over to Marisa who had a mix of confusion and shock.

(She's shocked because I said her lines, and she's confused because Meiling thinks I'm Cao Cao...)

Marisa said, "Uhmmm...Ken...Are you?"

"Marisa, she's being really stupid right now, Let's leave it at that" I said.

Marisa giggled and then smiled at me.

I looked at China, who seems to be dashing towards me.

I gasped then I dodged to the right on my heel while she tried to give me a rainbow-colored fist charge.

Then i pivoted and slashed with my Tsurugi unsheathed while she charged.

It left a laceration on her arm but she was too quick for me to inflict any more damage.

China noticed and tried to grapple me with her palm but I quickly jumped backwards 10 paces.

Then i jumped and put my sword in front of me to ready the counter skill.

I moved forward slowly, going through the motions of the attack.

China stood there and quickly grappled my sword and twisted it.

But it didn't twist my arm as I resisted.

(One mistake there, so called martial artist.)

The sword glowed for a second, then it unleashed a bullet.

I missed as it barely grazed her.

China's face was smiling dangerously as my trap failed.

My face in return smiled too while Marisa in the background prepared her broom.

Then Marisa quickly hovered over to China who was about to draw the blade itself in towards herself, preparing a haymaker with her other hand.

Marisa then did an uppercut with the broom which was propelling itself by the straw as Marisa unleashing beautiful stars from the straw.

(Hehehe, I never did like Miasma Sweep as a move...It was too deadly...)

It hit China in the back of the head as she let go of the sword with her bloodied hand and went up towards the sky.

She quickly regained control and flew away from us ten paces.

(Jeez, everyone has great motor control these days.

Then she pulled out a spell card and extended it in front of her.

"Rainbow Sign! Wind Chime of Colorful Rainbow! declared Meiling.

With that said, many swirls of rainbow danmaku came toward me in a beautiful display.

Then she made another extra swirl to make it impossible for my eyes to detect a gap.

But fortunately, it never had a sense of altitude and as a result, it only swirled in a certain area of height.

I looked over at Marisa who seemed to be preparing a flask in her hands.

(Magical Recycled Bomb?)

Then Marisa caught me looking at her and smiled devilishly, before going back to preparing her flask.

The rainbow danmaku were upon us and I decided to defend Marisa by using my sword and my own danmaku.

Marisa gets in a position you would see a javelin thrower doing.

I quickly got in front of her and thought of Cirno's last spell.

Then i decided to disregard that and went into position with my sword.

I put my palm to the side of the blade just about when the danmaku came in contact.

Each danmaku packed a punch as I was getting pushed back little by little as my hand holding the sword is suffering some burns right now.

(Crap, I can't keep up like this!!! I need to think of something!!!)

Then i saw a large black flask go flying in the air as Marisa unleashed her own swirl of stars to help counter the rainbow bullets.

Meiling didn't notice the flask going towards her as her eyes were closed.

(Is she insane?)

She took the flask head on as a bright blue explosion came out of the flask.

(Ouch...Magical Recycled Bomb is pretty powerful after all, I could feel the heat from over here.)

Both Marisa and China canceled their danmaku, catching their breaths.

China was panting heavily as she recovered from the explosion.

I saw somewhat of a makeshift rainbow shield like from last time as it unleashed a large yellow orb at us.

I tried to cut it but when I did, it pushed me back heavily, making me spin 5 times.

(Oh god....I don't like this feeling in my throat pushing)

When i stop spinning, i was immediately given a feeling of nausea, then something came up in my throat, then i vomited.

"Eww~!" screamed Marisa.

China just stood there repulsed by what just happen as i vomited on the trees below us.

(With this much in-vertigo I'm feeling right now, wouldn't a certain someone who spins around all the time be vomiting right now?)

Then China took the opportunity to take out another spell card.

"Qi Sign! Star Pulse Shot!" declared Meiling, while I still vomited the ghastly-looking green goo.

She charged up an orb of blue energy that grew to be 1/4 the size of a Spirit Bomb while doing some Hawaiian hand motions.

Then she blew it forward, going in a dangerously fast pace.

I was still vomiting, and as a result i couldn't move.

"Light Sign Luminous Strike!" declared Marisa.

After i heard a pew, I saw a very big yellow glowing star come in contact with the blue orb.

After about a few seconds, the blue ball dissipated as the star still came forward, but now has a very faint glow.

I took this chance to flank China since I was done vomiting and circled her while she focused on the star heading towards her.

I looked at Marisa, she seems to be panting heavily as she just did a spell card one after another.

China dodged to the right as she pulled out another spell card, the star hit the mansion, barely leaving a burnt mark.

"Colorful Sign! Extreme Color Typhoon!" declared Meiling.

Then she let loose many shards of rainbow as they started to get faster towards Marisa.

Then they all curve in different directions, making no pattern like a true hurricane, very unpredictable as soon shards moved straight, and some curved in random directions.

Marisa then braces herself while she focuses, I noticed that she was fatigued a lot.

(Her having trouble against Meiling? Either Meiling is trying her best or Marisa wasn't strong enough back then..)

Marisa was having trouble maneuvering through the shards as some of her clothes got nipped, scrunching up her eyes every time a shard hit her.

(In this case, being the fastest playable character probably doesn't really help at all though)

I made 30 globes in front of me before unleashing each half on each side of China.

On the left side, all the globes didn't have any luck as they canceled each other out with the many shards.

The right side had better luck as some of them managed to hit Meiling, canceling out her spell.

China looked really tired as the danmaku disappeared, giving Marisa some breathing room, her clothes were heavily tattered.

Marisa smiled as she stopped moving to catch her breath.

Meiling slowly took out a spell card from her breast.

(Wouldn't they be lopsided from the amount of spell cards she used?)

I chuckled as Meiling began to declare her card.

**Unknown POV**

(Let's see how both will handle their energy being at an all-time high)

I held out both of my hands and each revealed a small flame, then suddenly they turned into a raging inferno, glowing with ferocity.

"Fufufu"

**Ken's POV**

"Qi Sign! Fierce Tiger's Inner Strength!" declared China.

Then a beam of light shone down on China as she glowed yellow, her fists turning rainbow-colored.

Soon the beam of light faded away and China had an aura of spiking yellow around her.

(What the hell? Did she turned Super Saiyan! It's OVER 9000!)

Then she quickly rushed towards Marisa, who was still panting heavily when she looked up.

Marisa quickly held up her broom, but suffered from fatigue, a tattered hole in her clothes revealed her shoulder with the bite mark, as it glowed ultraviolet very intensely.

(What's this? A side-effect?)

Meiling rapidly punched Marisa three times in the gut, a broom fell from the sky.

I stood in shock at what happened, seeing Marisa's defense failing.

Marisa's breath was quickly punched out of her as she struggled to breath, her eyes wide open.

Then Meiling stood in place for one second then quickly gave out a punch to the chest, propelling Marisa back into the forest at a fast speed.

Marisa's eyes were close to closing, while she spat out blood, before she disappeared beneath the trees.

Anger bubbled up inside me.

(Why....China you BITCH!!!)

I made a sonic boom that was very loud that quickly shook all of gensokyo, rushing towards Meiling.

then I held my sword out in front of me and assumed the counter spell stance, but i was too fast to actually do it.

Then Meiling pumped her fist into the air.

"Cao Cao, I killed your precious Zhen Ji, now...."

She had just turned around when i just stabbed through her in the chest, gasping, while the yellow glow died down on her.

"...you're not Cao Cao.." realized Meiling.

(Naw, really?!)

"Of course, you BITCH. Now, My name is Ken, you killed my Marisa. Prepare to die!" I threatened.

(Even if she didn't die)

I took it out of Meiling and then slashed at Meiling immediately.

I missed but it was so fast it made a vacuum that drew Meiling in, spinning her in space.

I quickly withdrew my sword and grabbed Meiling by her sides locking her arms to her hips.

Then i flew up very quickly in the air, until I was at the point I couldn't really breathe.

Meiling tried to struggle, but couldn't get out of my grasp.

"I'm Sorry!" apologized Meiling.

"I DON'T CARE! YOU WENT TOO FAR!" I yelled, expressing my anger.

(You are going to PAY!)

As soon as i was done speaking, i flipped over, seeing clouds below me.

Then i descended down at the fastest speed possible...a sonic boom echoed throughout the land of Gensokyo as I sped towards the ground.

(Marisa.....)

(Now DIE!!)

Meiling couldn't get me off as she tried to kick me with her legs and screamed as loud as she can.

"DROP DEAD!" I yelled.

I didn't know when to stop until Meiling's head hit the ground.

Dust kicked up in the air by a-lot as a shockwave went throughout the whole land, blowing back trees in the vicinity.

She twitched once, then she fell unconscious.

I quickly stood up as i took many breathes of air.

(I couldn't even rip apart her limbs!)

"RAWR~!" I barked.

I got out my Tsurugi and slashed Meiling many times, as she began to bled everywhere, with the new lacerations and slits in her clothes.

I stopped and then kept stabbing Meiling in the stomach like a piston.

I picked up Meiling, as I threw her like a javelin towards the doors of the SDM, blowing open the doors...with blood and cards flying everywhere.

I was about to dash to Meiling again to mutilate her when I stopped.

I looked at my hands and arms as they were red, then it came back to normal.

I then purposefully took a few breathes to calm myself down.

(That didn't help...I need to get rid of this anger!!)

(Ranting helps!)

"AHH~!"

Then i regained my breath again, feeling more calm and serene but still alarmed.

(Wait....MARISA!)

"MARISA~!" I yelled, becoming more alert.

I searched frantically for Marisa until I found her in a bush in the forest that wasn't touched by the dragon meteor earlier.

Her clothes were very dirty as she hit the ground before and a dirt streak came out from the bush.

(Please be alive.....)

She was laying there peacefully but I wasn't calm enough to figure out if she was breathing or not.

(Marisa....No...)

Instead, I merely dropped on my knees, dropping my sword, and almost fell but put my hands on the ground.

Tears came to my eyes as her eyes were close and her mouth was open.

(How could you lose to......)

I punched the ground many times until a hand stayed mine.

I resisted then I stopped....and looked up.

It was Marisa, who was weakly still on the floor while gripping my hand very tightly.

I immediately embraced her while I began to stop crying, comforted.

"...Is she gone, ze~?" asked Marisa.

"She's gone...and she won't harm you again" I replied.

"Ken....I'm alright...i just suffered from some shock..She packed a punch" said Marisa, becoming more happier.

"But what if you died?"

(Thank god you didn't die.)

"My ghost would have told you to kill all the residents of that mansion, ze~!"

(That cheerful voice...i missed it so much...)

I lifted my head up as I saw Marisa smile and blush at the same time.

"hehe, I would have done the same thing, but I know I would have been killed, so I could meet you again"

Marisa giggled then blushed heavily while I twisted her braid around.

Marisa closed her eyes, and opened her mouth, while blushing heavily.

I blushed too as I leaned closer to her.

Then I kissed her deeply, our tongues rolling around each other as we recover from the battle.

Marisa's arms embraced my neck as we continued to kiss a lot more.

We lay side by side as we kiss in the forest of the SDM.

(Who suggested i ranted in the first place?!)

**Unknown POV**

"Fufufufufu, Ken and that gatekeeper of that brat certainly enjoyed their lifted powers" I said.

"My boy certainly knows how to deal with people in Gensokyo...but how will he fare against the maid and the vampire....if he makes it"

"And then..."

I opened another gap to Reimu...who was still crying but her hands were in fists as she banged the floor.

"Fufufu~, not even her knows that I lifted the boundaries of her anger to extend against my boy greatly"

"Then when my boy comes back to the shrine, He will have to endure the final test before i arrange the events of Gensokyo for him to face me, if I choose to let her be angry still"

"Mistress Yukari, Chen won't take a bath again!" yelled Ran, downstairs.

I sighed, then I yelled, "Coming!"


	17. Chapter 16

**Ken's POV**  
We laid next to each other, trying to rest ourselves getting ready to break in the mansion.

(I had already broken the door already in my rage with China, so it should be easy to go in.)

(I feel really stiff.)

Marisa looked up in the air pensively, while unusually quiet, holding her shoulder in pain.

My muscles hurt all over, my rage made me somewhat weak at the end, and a lack of vigor.

(That's what i get for missing that one slash that made it turn into some weird Kenshin move.)

(And like that guy, I don't think I'll able to do that again.)

(Wait a second.....if I did all those moves, aren't they powerful enough to be spell cards?)

(Jeez, this is going to be painful.)

After about a few minutes, I slowly reached in my pocket, my arm winced in pain once.

I felt at least three new cards as i took them out.

The first card that came into view I looked at had me in the same counter stance as my other card but showed wind streaks behind me.

(Death in Ten Paces? Why does it sound like it's off of a movie?)

(It sounds really versatile, like my other card, i can switch from spell cards to this skill card quickly...)

(And even from the counter card to this one it says, hehe. I see some surprises in the future.)

I looked at the second card, which shows a black figure holding a yellow Kite shield with a green aura emanating from it.

(Hmm~, Astral Sign Art of Defense??.....looks pretty useful...but then my mobility will be decreased greatly it says.)

(How did I get this card in the first place)

I remembered how I protected Marisa from the danmaku with only my sword when she was preparing a flask.

(So this time, when i declared the spell card and hold the pose....I'll be protected?? Hold the phone, what's this say?)

In the middle of the shield seems to be a sigil with a hole in the middle...and the text says "Upgradable"

(Wait, I can upgrade this card? They never said so on the others, maybe they are powerful enough already?)

(What about the last card?)

I looked at the third card which shows a black figure again kicking up another black figure and sending them down lotus style, then it shows the result being confused with stars above his head.

There was a slash through the picture.

On the other side of the slash, it shows the same thing but then the black figure flies up to him and grabs his wrists that glow red then the figure throws them overhand.

(Cripple Sign: Vital Interference? I don't remember throwing Meiling by the wrist.)

(Wait a second, are these Cabal Online skills i see?)

(So basically, I can either cripple their ability to see or their ability to attack. You can use your legs but the majority of attacking comes from using the wrist.)

(Wait what's this....)

It read, "ONLY USABLE ONCE EVERY SPELL CARD BATTLE AND MUST BE CLOSE FOR ATTACK!!"

(Well, that sucks....I guess it will only come in handy in melee...which is usually impossible in danmaku bombardment.)

I thought about the cards i have received, laying them on my chest.

(So i received two offensive melee skills and one upgradable defensive shield....in that case, after this incident...I'm going to need to train for endurance...)

Marisa sighed and I looked over, she still looked to the sky when she was reaching for something in her blouse.

It was a vial with strange bubbly yellow liquid that read "CURE-ALL," albeit very crude letters though and a cork at the top.

"Marisa, where did you get that?" I asked, curious.

Marisa gasped for a second, then looked at me then the vial.

"I was in the human village before you even came here and i saw many stalls that were open, there was a delicious ramen stand, ze!" replied Marisa.

(There's Ramen here? I would kill for some right now!)

My stomach growled loudly, making Marisa giggle a little bit.

(I really wish I had some food to eat right now.)

"Then there was this one stand at the end...it looked very poor and there was nothing worth of borrowing" continued Marisa.

(Borrow, Borrow, Borrow! Is that all you do?)

"Then I saw this shady person who had purple-ish long hair, long rabbit ears, and her eyes were frighteningly red" said Marisa.

"She was wearing some kind of weird clothing, it looked like a black jacket sewed together with buttons and a crescent moon pin to the right side of her jacket."

"Along with a tie at her neck, I think she was just checking her inventory when I saw this vial on the counter."

(Reisen? You swiped from Reisen?)

"Then she noticed me and tried to ask what i wanted, but I was busy studying the vial, she jumped when she saw I had it."

(But why did she jump at that one particular vial...)

"I asked what was it, ze. Then she said it wasn't for sale, then i decided to borrow it. After all, if it's something she's not selling, it must be really valuable. I quickly ran away while I thanked her for letting me borrow it."

(It wasn't on sale for a reason you know?)

Marisa giggled at first and shook the vial, making the liquid bubble even more violently.

"What a useless bunny, she would only be good for sex appeal."

I raised my eyebrows when Marisa said that, remembering some familiar words.

(How exactly did you figure that out?)

"I don't know now whether i should take it or not now, it wasn't on sale for a reason you know?" said Marisa.

(Naw really? Well Reisen's supplier has got to be Eirin, which in turn makes it safe, but then again Eirin likes to do many experiments.)

"Marisa, I believe you should take it" I said.

Marisa stood up, although she quickly winced and held her stomach, she popped the vial open, making it fizz out of the vial.

I quickly stood up too looking at Marisa, who looked scared for a second then became more confident.

(There's no reason you should be afraid of that! Think about when you ate mushrooms whether they are poisonous or not)

"Think about it, didn't you ever eat poisonous mushrooms and still lived?" I asked.

Marisa nodded slowly then turned into an ecstatic grin, with a thumbs up in the air.

"You're right! I do love eating death caps with ramen!" said Marisa, optimistically.

(Isn't that fatal? And you "love it with ramen?" Marisa, What the hell is up with your body?)

I stood with my eyes open wide, surprised that Marisa's liver or kidney is still kicking.

"Ah what the heck? It can't hurt!" said Marisa.

(Wh-Wh-wait!)

Marisa then drank it bottoms up, she drained the whole thing in three seconds.

(So much for being cautious)

"Yum! Warm and salty!" exclaimed Marisa.

(Wait a second, doesn't pee taste like that.....I know it's sterile and there is Urine therapy..but)

(Who's pee is that? What has Eirin done to Reisen...)

"Uuu~, My stomach is gurgling, and it's starting to hurt.." complained Marisa.

(Ummmmm Urine Poisoning? It comes out of your body for a reason.)

Then Marisa quickly held her shoulder with her hand, and then her stomach.

Marisa screamed really loud, I had to cover my ears since Marisa caused my ears to ring.

"It hurts so bad, so sharp, like something is cutting me!" complained Marisa.

(Shit what do i do!)

(Is her shoulder wound doing ok?)

I quickly pulled back Marisa's clothes to the part where her shoulders are exposed, Marisa blushed a bit while I checked her shoulder wound.

(It seemed to be.......fixing itself?)

The black inflammation that used to be there was gone, and the wound restitched itself until it was fully closed, leaving no scar.

Marisa screamed in pain and embraced me, I felt warmth come into my cheeks.

Then she felt relaxed, as her muscles doesn't feel so tensed up anymore.

"I....feel....GREAT!" exclaimed Marisa.

(Thank you Eirin for using pee as a Cure-All!)

Then quickly Marisa grabbed her head with both hands, convulsing in pain.

"Auu~, Why does my head and Tushie hurt so much!?" yelled Marisa.

Marisa dropped to her knees on the ground beside the dirt streak, holding her head tightly.

"Marisa!" I yelled.

"It's like something wants to come out, help it out Ken!" Marisa ordered.

(What?)

(Unless a robot is going to come out of your forehead, I don't think there's much I can do.)

I was fazed by what Marisa just said, continuing to stare at her.

(Why would you ask something like that anyway?)

Then all of a sudden, two things came out of Marisa's head and one thing from her ass.

The two things at the top of her head happened to be short big floppy rabbit ears.

Then there was a big cottontail that came out of her ass.

(Marisa....a rabbit....)

Marisa let go of her head with a relieved look on her face, wiping her forehead with her forearm.

"Whew! Glad that's better, hey I can even hear better now. but now I am feeling this strange urge for carrots and to pound something" said Marisa.

I stood shocked with my jaw dropped and my eyes wide open.

I stammer "The" for a bit as my hand shook, pointing at Marisa's ears.

Marisa looked confused for a second who touched her head, then her eyes became wide open, rigorously feeling her head with her hands.

"EEE~! What is this, zea!" shrieked Marisa.

(Zea? Is that supposed to be some combination of ze~ and usa~?)

Marisa covered her mouth with a surprised look on her face.

(I think it was Tewi's pee, she looks like her, and she wants to pound something.)

"I think it's rabbit ears" I said.

"You mean I'm a wabbit, zea?!" shouted Marisa.

(Just because you have animal parts on your body don't mean you have to shout so loud~!)

I nodded with a grim smile while I still pointed, now at her bottom.

Marisa patted her ass when she felt her cottontail, squeezing it.

"Uuu~, I am a wabbit, A useless only-good-for-sex-appeal wabbit" said Marisa.

(That's not it....err....you do look better in a way. We only know so far is that you got rabbit parts.)

(Aren't rabbits normally....)

"Wait, do you feel....energized?" I asked, hesitating a little bit.

Marisa thought for a moment while putting her finger on her chin, then she smiled and leaped in the air, her arms outstretched towards the sky.

"I do feel energized! I never felt better than ever!" yelled Marisa.

**Third POV:**  
Meanwhile, at the Forest of Magic, A long haired blond tall youkai with a gigantic double-sided buster sword was terrorizing some travelers.

"Hehehehe, fear me as RUMIA!" an unknown voice rang out in the forest, scaring away birds and insects.

Rumia swung her buster sword as her amulet did no good to seal her powers.

The travelers were scared as they hugged each other.

"I'm gonna GIT you...and eat you HUMES~!" threatened Marisa.

Rumia charged with her buster sword ready and blood coming from her mouth toward the travelers.

They hugged each other as their kimonos touched, both seem to be praying for their lives. One traveler was a black-haired male while the other was another black-haired person but was female.

Then Rumia suddenly dropped her sword onto the ground while she held her head and stood in place.

The travelers look with surprise as they were curious to see what happens next, leaning over with curiosity.

"Uuu~, My source of energy is gone! I don't want to..."

The amulet in her hair glowed yellow, lighting up the area around Rumia.

Rumia shrunk back to her old self as the amulet was still there able to seal her powers, while she fell to her knees.

Quickly, the travelers ran back in the other direction, holding hands together.

Rumia sat in place, about to cry, holding her hands. The buster sword beside her disappeared, replaced with flattened grass.

"Uuuuuu, I only wanted a meal, I'm going to starve~!" moaned Rumia, beginning to have tears on her eyes.

Rumia cried into the grass, trying to wipe away her tears with her hand.

Then suddenly, an arm extended out in Rumia's sight, it was carrying a lamprey stick.

Rumia's eyes glowed, then quickly grabbed it and ate it. She begun to have a smile on her face as she looked behind her to see who gave her the stick.

She had grey eyes, pink hair, pointed ears like an owl, light pink bird-like wings with purple highlights. She is in white and brown clothing with a hat and the dress contain numerous bird-shaped ornaments.

She looked very happy as she gave a smile, bending over to Rumia's level.

Then she held out her hand, gesturing to Rumia.

Rumia looked at it for a second, a piece of meat in her lips, before grabbing it with her own hand.

Meanwhile at the SDM where Marisa and Ken prepare to enter the SDM at the courtyard.

Marisa looks on happy besides the side effect that she has bunny ears and a tail while Ken is somewhat fatigued but ready to go on with courage.

**Ken's POV**  
We entered through the gate where Meiling usually stands to guard.

I looked at the flowers, part of it was burned by the danmaku battle and the dragon meteor, as the entire courtyard had many burn marks all around the ground.

(Oh god look at these flowers...Good thing Yuka isn't here, nobody knows the rage she would go through if she found out what happened.)

We looked onward as Marisa happily leaped over the flowerbeds.

"WEE~!" Marisa shouted happily.

(I think this rabbit thing is cute and annoying at the same time.)

(In fact...I haven't gone moe in a long while.)

I stood there with my drunken smile, my eyes narrowing, as my nose readied to bleed.

Then it gushed out, as the blood colors over the black burn marks.

(Ahhh..so beautiful how Marisa hops...)

Marisa looked behind and raised her ears, and then giggled, holding her hand beside her lips.

(That did it....)

"HNG~~" I groaned

I fell backwards on the ground as I was happy to have gone to rest....on the flowerbed.

The last thing I saw was Marisa giggling then sitting by me on the flowerbed.

**Yukari's POV:**

"Ran, prepare to send him my next gift, it appears he doesn't mourn his toilet paper anymore" I ordered.

Ran came in with a Maruchan Chicken Ramen noodles packet, she brought it over to me and bowed, dropping it beside me then leaving.

Then I snapped my fingers while thinking about the noodles.

(I made the border nonfictional between not being restorative and restorative)

A blue spark came out of my finger.

Then it turned into a small fireball as it went away.

(Ken's power will slowly decrease throughout going through the SDM...but he shall not realize this.)

(These Ramen noodles will help him...but only energize him.)

I quickly grabbed a Post-it note i got when this one person cleaned his desk before going to White Castle with an Indian.

(The dangers these friends went through, just for a White Castle burger.)

I quickly wrote "Eat this -Yakumo."

Then I opened a gap and sent it through to Ken, It landed on his chest while he continued to bled unconscious.

(Soon, he will have to train for himself to get as good as his current level...but that will take really long.)

(Hehe that boy...always bleeding when something like that happens..)

"Fufufu, Ran~! Microwave a Bagel Bites for me" I ordered.

"Yes, mistress" replied Ran.

Ran went downstairs, signaling it with steps descending.

"CHEN~! You're good with these...things...make Yukari Bagel Bites!" Ran yelled.

"OK~!" Chen replied.

(Why do i even ask Ran anymore...)

(My boy, if he wants to get better at this, he need to take on some very special adventures. Some not even in Gensokyo!)


	18. Chapter 17 End of the Prologue

[I am assuming that Gensokyo uses Yen for currency]  
[Considering that Yukari goes out into the outside world often, she knows many things and keeps up with their culture]  
[] = author's notes

**Ken's POV**  
(God....Touhou Manzais get really annoying after a while in dreams)

(In fact, it got annoying to the point I want to punch a certain reporter in the face)

I opened my eyes and saw that I was in a flowerbed, seeing sunflowers above me, and seeing that it was night already, seeing faint stars in a blue-ish sky.

(Huh? Night?.......Good thing Yuka isn't here)

I sat up and immediately saw the big scarlet mansion in front of me, telling me I was in the same location I fainted.

Then I felt something drop onto my thighs.

I saw it was a Maruchan Ramen Chicken Noodles, with a yellow post-it note on top of it.

(Huh, Ramen noodles?...What does this note say? ....I can barely read these purple words.)

I took off the post-it note and it says "Eat this -Yakumo."

(Yukari? is she helping me or.......? I'm confused.)

My stomach growls with a sharp pain as i clutched it.

(Well, I am hungry. Thanks, Yukari.)

I ripped it open and went ahead to eat the raw, dry, and hard ramen noodles.

I chewed off a piece, having a nice and crunchy snack.

(Good thing my friend taught me that eating Raw Ramen Noodles is good for fiber...)

(Hmmmmm. What is actually the flavor of Raw Ramen Noodles?)

I was about halfway done. My stomach still gave off a sharp pain but it is slowly dulling down.

"Nnn~, I taste blood." I said, putting my tongue up to my palate to taste blood.

(Oh yeah.....Playboy Marisa....She is good for her sex appeal.)

Marisa has recently suffered a case of having rabbit ears and a tail after drinking a vial of strange, fizzy, and yellow liquid.

(Last piece....)

I popped it in my mouth and chewed contently.

(If only I had some water to down these noodles.)

Then I threw back the chicken flavoring found in the bag somewhere in the garden and downed the crumbs from the package.

(Hmm~, that meal was satisfying. In fact, I feel...energized!)

I was filled with so much energy I jumped up from my sitting position and landed on my feet, feeling really bouncy.

(Oh god, I never had this much energy before ever since I was wired after drinking six Super Dry Nitrous Monsters. And they say if you drink three monsters, you'll die.)

I noticed that the Tsurugi was sheathed and already was mounted on my back.

(How that get there? I swear i left it in the forest or something..)

(Well anyway, time to solve this incident. Where's Marisa?)

I looked around for any sign of Marisa, then a shadow loomed over me from behind.

The shadow had rabbit ears with long hair, suddenly two arms wrapped around my neck.

"Ken!" shouted a familiar voice behind me

(Oh there's Marisa.)

I turned my head to see that Marisa still had the rabbit ears while she smiled at me.

"I found that sword and put it on you~" said Marisa, her voice trailing off at the last word she said.

Marisa gave me a really worried look while she took some steps backwards.

"Ken......Why are you fizzling?" asked Marisa.

(Fizzling? Don't be serious..)

I looked at my body just to make sure I wasn't fizzling or anything else, nothing was being given off.

(Nothing was fizzling off of me....I'm perfectly fine..)

"Whatever, it is, It's nothing. Now let's go fix that incident!

"O-O-Ok" stuttered Marisa.

I jumped up in the air, feeling more jubilant than ever, stretching out my arms.

(There's nothing to worry about...nothing bad can happen!)

Then my shadow quickly became more noticeable as the surroundings became more white in a flash while I looked at my feet, then it turned back to normal.

I quickly turned around and looked at the night sky....it was a full moon.

(Eh...It's probably nothing..I must be seeing things..)

**Yukari's POV:**  
I hurried and closed the gap before he turned around.

The camera spat out a picture which shows Ken smoking white and Marisa stricken with bunny body parts.

I opened another gap and dropped the camera in it while keeping the picture in my hand.

(I must thank that tengu someday, but now is not the time.)

(Ken wouldn't be able to face Patchouli at this point, his powers are decreasing at a rate faster than i expected.)

(If this keeps up, even some of his cards will be nullified and be useless, due to his soon to be defunct power to maintain them.)

(He would probably even never be able to fly as fast as he did before.)

(I need to bring that red-white shrine maiden to the SDM quickly so she can finish this, her powers are surprisingly high for a human.)

"RAN~! Notebook paper now!" I demanded loudly, echoing in the room I was in.

"Yes Mistress!" replied Ran.

I heard loud footsteps throughout the house, first hearing paper being ripped, then the footsteps got closer as a nine-tailed figure slid the door open to my room.

Ran quickly gave me a piece of paper and a brush with a dipping pool of ink.

Then she picked up a plate that used to have hot pockets on it since i finished earlier.

"Ran, would you kindly bring me some wine?" I asked, dipping the brush into the ink.

Ran bowed to me before beginning to head out the door.

"Yes mistress" replied Ran.

(Ran seems a bit more robotic than usual, ah well.)

(I think Reimu can only read Kanji, so I will warn her through Kanji.)

I got down to work on a letter that will tell Reimu to come quickly to the SDM and finish up things, taking out the brush that was soaking in the ink.

After about five minutes, I quickly found a small plastic American Eagle bag.

(So ingenuity the outsiders have..in their sense of fashion and saving space.)

I quickly put the letter in there and the picture.

I was about to open a gap before a reminder popped into my head.

(Of course, greediness comes first..)

I got out my small purse and dumped in about 12000 yen in coins into the bag.

[12000 yen equals to about $120 dollars]

(But the humans can't match my space-saving strategy.)

(Bottomless bags are nice to have around to make traveling so comfy.)

I giggled slightly while I opened the gap to the dark Hakurei Shrine, it had lights on inside the shrine.

(Reimu might need a "little persuading" before she goes to do her job.)

Then i snapped my fingers, quickly making a stagnant fire ball in the air in front of me.

It was a cold fireball that was blue, then it slowly turned red, before dying out to a single spark.

(Controlling Reimu's anger is hard, but I made a limit of her anger so Ken may stay at her shrine, no matter the many homicidal thoughts Reimu has.)

(Ken is getting barely anything out of staying at that witch's place. That witch always takes it too easy, and is giving Ken the wrong idea.)

(That's why i am going to have Reimu teach him how to properly fight in Gensokyo instead of randomly using movie and anime references in spell cards.)

I sighed, shaking my head disapproving of Ken's spell cards.

(No more Lotus or Battosai skills for him, luckily he hasn't thought of that Netnavi crap.)

(......or Death Note..)

I shuddered at the thought of Ken being able to kill off anyone he wanted to at a mere declaration.

Then i giggled, shaking my head at the thought of Ken going that low.

(Gensokyo would've been really boring if that happened. But still, his emotions may go unstable, and he may think of such things.)

I quickly took out the letter from the bag and quickly added a suggestion.

Then I put it back in and quickly sent it through the gap, then closing it.

(....Everything may not go according to plan....but it's enough seeing as i saw Ken before play those....Touhou games....such good ideas..)

(Now to think about how to convince that ghost to have a nice blossom. And to rise a greediness level in someone.)

**Reimu's POV:**  
I sat at a table, drinking tea, with lamps in the room on.

I was still anguished after Ken and Marisa left to fix the "incident."

(When they get back, I am going to seal KEN., It's the only way to protect Gensokyo and...)

I blushed a little bit, before turning serious again.

(...Marisa...)

[No, it's not like that at all. Don't be a pervert.]

Then i was suddenly calmed, all my anger directed towards Ken is gone.

Along with my urge to seal him, instead, I felt more ease at heart.

(What? Why do I not want to seal him anymore? It seems so...unreasonable now.)

I sipped a bit of my tea before setting it down on the table.

(It's so weird, like I don't need to worry about anything now.)

(But, It's probably dangerous where they are going, then I heard those booms.)

I remembered the many booms I heard throughout the day, one managing to rustle the leaves on the tree, Ken popped up in my head once again.

(Those were Ken's booms I predicted, so that would mean things are probably ok now, that or something happened.)

(Wait, Ken is lovesick with Marisa right now, he wouldn't run. Would he?)

I thought carefully about this when I heard the sound of money dropping into the ground outside.

(Wait a second, That's..)

"Money!" I finished.

I quickly drank all of my tea before grabbing my gohei and running to the door, sliding it open, then running outside. I became ready to say a prayer to who ever donated.

(Eh? Where did the money come from?)

I saw nobody in the night, as I only saw a full moon.

(Uuu~, My mind must be playing tricks on me again..why would anyone come at this hour anyway? Especially with this damn fog.)

I fell sullen when i slowly was about to go back into the Shrine, when out of the corner of my eye, I see a bag with an eagle on it.

(NOT!!)

"Is it what i think it is?" I asked.

I picked up the bag, immediately noticing it was extremely heavy.

(What is in this bag?)

I looked in the bag, .and i have never been happier since.

(So full....of money...almost to the top of the bag.)

I jumped up in the air and...

"WOOHOO MUNEY!" I yelled, overjoyed.

I quickly picked up the bag as my new-found strength allowed me to carry it inside, dragging it against the ground instead of carrying after a few seconds.

I quickly slid the door close and threw my gohei somewhere in the shrine, no longer needing it.

(No one is getting my money!!!)

I then tried to heft up the bag this time with spiritual assistance and managed to dump its contents into the floor after sliding the door close..

(...So many coins...)

Many silver coins fell out the bag and made very distinct money sounds.

Later a very huge pile of money grew on the floor as I was still ecstatic.

(I'm rich I'm Rich!!!...Hey what's this?)

There was a piece of paper with kanji on it and then a picture....

I quickly read the paper, which happened to be a letter, and it said,

_"Reimu, You must hurry to the Scarlet Devil Mansion! Ken doesn't have long before he dies...his powers are slowly going away. Get over there and fix the incident. I want you to take in Ken in refuge so you can train him properly in danmaku RIGOROUSLY...you may do whatever the hell you want with him as long as he trains before spring...Marisa doesn't really help him at all as their love distracts them from doing so...I have paid you in advance so you will be able to keep Ken in your home....Mushrooms don't really substitute for food that can help him..especially the poisonous ones..Thank you for the time to read this...NOW HURRY...FOLLOW THE MOST DENSEST CONCENTRATION OF THE SCARLET FOG AND IT WILL LEAD YOU TO THE MANSION __WHERE KEN AND MARISA ARE. Also, i suggest you add a rule to the spell card system where you can't instantly end the battle with a death-inducing card,"_

(So i got a job to do....with this much money...i don't mind even saving that bastard and training him...even if he's going to do alot of work!)

I grinned as i turned out the lamps in the shrine...and grabbed my ofuda and gohei.

I then slid open the door then closed it...

I immediately look around for any dense concentration of the fog.

Then I saw a part of the fog I can't see through that was in front of me.

(That must be it! I must hurry!)

I quickly rushed in the direction hoping that it isn't too late.

**Marisa's POV**

(Ken....he's fizzling away.....what does it mean?)

(I don't care...I'm still worried about him..)

Ken and I walked towards the entrance of the SDM that was already busted open.

Ken just stood there...glancing at the entrance like something was supposed to be there.

"Huh? where's her body? They probably dragged it away" said Ken.

I did indeed see a pool of blood in the entrance, along with the doors draped with blood as well.

(Ken....what did you do..)

I raised my rabbit ears as I stared too into the entrance.

"Ken! come on, ze! Let's go and solve this incident!" I said.

(I'm still worried....I hope he isn't dying..)

"Ok! You're going to find a lot of things interesting in this mansion" replied Ken.

(Yeah that's the only reason i came...)

"Did you say there were a lot of magical books in here?" I asked.

Ken nodded diligently as he continued to walk inside, careful not to step on blood on the way.

I quickly followed, careful not to step on it by hovering over it.

(Magical books, I'm going to borrow some and maybe come back later.)

We entered the lobby, which was a dark room with a sigil on the floor lighting up the room as we see only doors.

A pungent odor filled the area that smelled like blood.

Then Ken pointed to the left where two very big doors were found.

"Ah this must be the library with the books. You can "borrow" to your hearts content in there" sung Ken.

I beamed at Ken as I got really excited.

(Library? I may have to make daily trips!)

(But how is it that we didn't get attacked yet?)

I looked around for any sign of an ambush but decided to focus on the doors as Ken pushed it open.

I dropped my jaw as i stared wide open at the library.

"So...So..Big, ze! I'm really going to like this place, ze!" I said.

Ken laughed as he continued to walk forward to one of the very big bookshelves.

He put his finger on the books as he slid it along the books.

"Dang, everything is here! Wikipedia, Illusion Magic by Zhang Jiao, Gentlemen's Allia..."

He stopped suddenly and immediately stepped back with a disgusted look on his face.

"Ew! I didn't know she liked that stuff...even if the 4komas suggested that" said Ken.

I walked over to where Ken was and looked around in amazement of the big shelves, then I took out a book called the "Necronomicon."

I flipped through the pages as the covers felt really weird and the text looked like it was in blood.

(Uuu~....I can barely contain my excitement.)

I put the book in my blouse, while Ken just looked at me and sighed, shaking his head.

"What? They can borrow it back when I'm dead, ze!" I said.

Ken chuckled a little bit before he looked up and suddenly dodged backwards, and unsheathed his sword.

Ken suddenly could barely lift it up, as his sword made a large thud.

"This sword wasn't that heavy before!" yelled Ken.

I looked up also and saw a girl wearing a black dress with white sleeves.

She has a small pair of black, bat-like wings on the sides of her head along with another pair on her back and long red hair.

I saw danmaku directed towards us as globe bullets came in a fast spiral direction while she made many sigils in the air that gave out many knives.

I immediately threw out my options as they hovered in the air with me shooting illusion laser at this....devil.

Ken had a hard time dodging as he went into the air, but he seems to be having trouble controlling himself, while he was still fizzling.

"Why is flying more harder for me now?!" yelled Ken.

He couldn't dodge some of the knives as he couldn't control his altitude, his clothes and skin were getting more and more nipped.

"Argh~!" Ken grunted.

I continued to be grazing as this devil continued to keep up the offensive.

"I was told this boy might be dangerous, I don't see why, By my mistress's orders, put back that book" demanded the devil.

I grinned at her while I kept grazing.

"She can have it back when I'm dead!" I replied.

Then i focused my options on this devil making it even more powerful, hitting her harder.

Eventually she canceled the spell as she fell down from the air and hit the floor, she was breathing heavily.

I looked over at Ken and was horrified at his sight.

He was bleeding on his arms, legs, and chest as his clothes became stained with blood thanks to little lacerations throughout his entire body.

Ken began to get really angry...his fizzling seems to began emitting even more densely.

"WHAT IS GOING ON? I CAN BARELY LIFT MY SWORD AND FLY!" Ken shouted angrily.

He tried to hit the books with his sword, but a yellow barrier emitted on all the books and forced back Ken really hard as he landed next to the devil.

"Please don't try to attack the books" said the devil, meekly.

"I can if i want Koakuma!" replied Ken.

The devil...or Koakuma immediately gasped at this but then fainted with the damage i done to her.

Slowly, Ken got up and dragged his sword with him forward as he walked...

"Where are you going, ze!?" I asked.

Ken quickly turned around and walked back towards me, he left every footstep with blood.

(This fizzling...It's weakening Ken...and now he can barely fight...)

(I hope this doesn't happen to me..)

I ran to Ken and supported him as we wandered through the library, occasionally getting into trouble with the youkai found in it.

We dodged lasers, white and green bullets, and knives as we go.

Ken seemed to lack the energy to dodge everything as he continued to get lacerated.

But luckily, some of the lasers singed him, cauterizing some of the lacerations and helping Ken not die of blood loss.

While we wandered, I stole and stole more books on the way as my blouse began to be really big.

(The next time i come here, I'm going to bring a big bag.)

Ken started to fizzle less and less but it doesn't matter since his strength in battle seems to be leaving him, making him feel more and more lethargic.

He kept cursing in the air whining about his problems.

(What happened to Ken that made him this way?)

We walked to where what seems to be the middle of the library where there was a chair and piles of books sitting on desks...

Then this lady was hovering in the air with her book open.

Her hair and eyes are purple, and has many ribbons tied to her hair and other body parts. She wears pajama-like clothing and a night-cap.

"Who are you? and you look ridiculous in those clothes, ze!" I said.

The lady twitched at that comment, becoming irritated at the comment I made.

"I am Patchouli Knowledge. Please return the books that you have stolen" said the lady's calm voice.

"Yeah that's Patchy...You're....disgusting...you read Yaoi don't you?" said Ken.

(What's Yaoi?)

Patchy twitched at that comment considering only the people in the SDM call her that and know her secret.

"Errr....I do not...Koakuma only does" said Patchy, trying to cover up for herself.

"Now, 'How to passively defeat the person in black in front of you'"

Patchy seems to be reading her book.

(Is that actually written in there?)

"Hmm... My eyes have been getting worse lately" commented Patchy.

(Well, the room is kinda dark...especially considering the fact it's dark outside.)

"Isn't that because the room is so dark?" I answered.

"Perhaps i lack iron."

(That doesn't help your eyesight..)

"You know, I think you mean vitamin A" I said, confused.

"How about you?" said Patchy.

"I have enough. Of a lot of things"

Patchy seemed to have shook her head at this.

"Then maybe I'll help myself" said Patchy, licking her lips.

(Hehehe, What's with her? Does she want to eat me?)

"I'm really tasty" I said.

Patchy seems to be back at reading her book again.

"Let's see, 'how to easily remove unneeded portions of food'" said Patchy.

Four sigils appeared around Patchy and spun slowly around her as lasers emitted straight from them.

Then four more sigils came and did the same thing but spun in the opposite direction.

I used my options and used my illusion laser on her, immediately piercing through her book at the same time, while I observed the lasers.

(Ooo~, This is a nice spell...I'm going to borrow it!!)

Ken attempted to fly in the air, but had a hard time controlling his altitude, he landed back on the ground as we grazed the lasers.

Five way spreads came at us as we slightly move to not get hit by them.

Then the lasers happened again but there was some danmaku as well that were going to our current position while some only went in one direction.

Ken growled as he got hit by one of them.

"I never did like this spell in the games" said Ken.

(This seems really powerful...I think i will call it...Non-Directional Laser)

I grinned as Patchy canceled her danmaku and declared a spell card.

"Earth Sign! Rage Trilithon High Level!" declared Patchy.

She began to unleash many random bullets, we couldn't see a pattern.

Just as me and Ken saw an opening, They suddenly change directions, ruining our concentration.

We were both hit as I got hit in the arm and Ken dropped to the floor, quickly getting back up as he tried to declared a spell card.

He was exhausted, barely holding it up.

"Astral Sign! Art of Defense!" declared Ken.

A yellow shield appeared in front of Ken as he sat with his sword in blocking position, his arm shaking violently due to his lost strength.

Then the shield slowly flashed off and on as the danmaku made contact with it, and was absorbed.

It then finally flashed away as Ken fell to the floor exhausted, he was breathing heavily.

"Where was all that energy i had?" said Ken, lacking the energy he had before entering the mansion.

Then he muttered something, but i didn't know what it was, as it was inaudible.

"Ken~!" I screamed, seeing bullets heading his way.

I got out my Hakkero and proceeded to prepare for my signature move.

Then I aimed up as the Hakkero spun in the air.

"Love Sign! Master SPARK~!" I declared.

The beam came out from it with ring insignias emanating from it as the rainbow colored spark made its way to Patchy.

All danmaku were canceled while after the spell, Patchy looked black, but her clothes remained the same way as it was before.

Then she made an evil smile.

(What? She can just take it on head-on..)

I stood in shock while Patchy cleared her throat.

I looked over at Ken quickly and saw that he was sleeping, hearing a snoring noise.

(Sleeping? at an exciting time like this?)

Then I noticed he is leaving a blood pool, albeit small though by his chest.

(He's going to bleed to death if this keeps up..)

"Not bad...I should hurry this up since your irate friend will probably die soon" said Patchy.

Then she took out another spell card, extending it out forward.

"Metal & Water Sign! Mercury Poi...MUKYU~!" coughed Patchy.

Patchy seems to be coughing violently, as she covered her neck.

(Who fights people when you're sick!!)

"Stupid anemia" said Patchy.

(Ohh~)

I noticed all the books have dropped from my blouse, seeing many books on the floor, and feeling surprisingly light.

"How did i not notice that, ze!?" I said in surprise.

I proceeded to pick the books and fit them in my blouse so they wouldn't fall.

Patchy seems to have finally stopped coughing after five minutes.

(Couldn't she have choked to death from coughing that much...)

"Sorry now where were we? Eh? I dropped my spell card. Ah well I got another one" lamented Patchy.

(You're kidding me right?!)

Patchy took out another card from her pajamas and declared it.

"Earth & Metal Sign Emerald Mega..."

"Spirit Sign Fantasy Orb!" Rang out a familiar voice in the library, echoing.

All of a sudden, while Patchy uttered her spell, 7 different colored balls homed in on Patchy, interrupted her spell card, and exploded.

Patchy was knocked down to the ground, then a familiar person came out of the smoke.

(Reimu?)

I saw her with ofuda and gohei in hand as she appeared to have knocked down Patchy, who began coughing again.

"Mukyu! Mukyu!"

(You got a serious problem with your health! You need more mushrooms!)

Reimu just looked down on her in disgust as she kept coughing, then looked at me and Ken with a worried face, before flying to us.

"Marisa! Hurry and get Ken to my shrine! He doesn't have much longer.......rabbit ears?" said Reimu, confused at the last two words.

(They are still there?)

I patted my head and saw they were still there and I grew really serious but content.

"What about the incident, Raymoo~..oof!" I said, before being hit atop the head with the gohei, leaving a bump.

"What was that for?" I said, not liking her sudden action.

"Go NOW!! I'll fix this incident myself" said Reimu, willing to take over for me.

(Since when was Reimu this willing...no time!)

I quickly grabbed Ken who left a larger blood pool.

(Jeez, It's worse than I thought!)

I got on my broom and unleashed a bullet at a nearby window.

The window shattered as I broke through the remaining fragments with my broom and carried Ken out of there, who is now on my back.

(Come on Ken, Please be still alive..)


	19. Rise to Power Chapter 1

**Ken's POV**  
(Argh~....my head....where am I?)

I found myself in....actually nothing.

Everything was white all around me.

I was standing with my clothes that aren't tattered.

I took a step to see what the floor sounded like.

It made no sound and it felt like nothing was there, yet the floor was tangible.

(It's like air but I'm stepping on it.)

I felt a poke on my back, then I pushed forward very fast.

"Whoa~!"

I was basically doing a pelvic thrust through the air with my hip extended outwards.

(This is going to give people big misunderstandings if I do this in public.)

Then i suddenly stopped and landed flat on my face.

(Ow.)

"Nng~, wood floor?" I said, feeling something hard and firm on my face.

Then it came before my ears, a mahogany style wood floor appeared before my eyes.

After a minute, I lifted my head to see where i was at, I found myself in a house.

I immediately looked around while I stood up, trying to find out where I am.

I see some picture frames on the wall hanging by a string with golden embroidery on the edges.

(Yukari? Ran? Chen?)

Indeed, I saw Yukari, Ran, and Chen together in somewhat of a family photo.

Then another one has Chen in a Moe pose that could easily make someone faint.

(It's a good thing this is a dream....I think.)

Then right next to that picture is another one showing Ran covering her face with her hand, with blood coming out of her fingers.

(Someone can't get enough of Chen...)

I chuckled while I looked around for anything else,I saw a red wooden door, the ones you would see in the outside world.

I walked over to the door and turned the knob, then moved the door backwards.

I saw through a glass door that it seems I am back in the modern world.

(What? You kidding me? Am I out of Gensokyo? Yukari has a house in the outside world?)

I opened the glass door and stepped out, feeling rough pavement beneath my feet.

(Judging by the temperature outside and the sun shining, it has to be summer, it's really hot outside.)

Immediately, the sun burdened down on me with her rays, instantly making me feel hot.

I was on a concrete deck with steps to a sidewalk leading to a driveway, intersected with another sidewalk.

There was the front lawn, that looked like someone just mowed it due to seeing faint lines, with a tree in the middle of the lawn, surrounded by tiles and soil.

(Who in the Yakumo Family actually mows the lawn?)

I thought about it while the image of Chen trying to push the lawnmower popped up in my head, making me chuckle.

(I don't want to imagine a cat with a lawnmower, she already was drawn with a chainsaw!)

(This is turning out to be some weird lucid dream right now.)

(Then again, when i was in Gensokyo, all I been having are lucid dreams.)

Then i let out a sigh of relief, knowing my location.

(I may still be in Gensokyo, just not in here.)

Then i heard the loud whir of a sports car as a Ferrari Enzo, labeled on the trunk, drove up in front of the house.

A door opened from the side of the car as a blond person came out with sunglasses.

She doesn't have a hat with her.

She had long hair with a braid on the left side of her face as she was smiling and a little pink blushing..

She was wearing a black shirt that said in big letters, "I'm a witch, ze" and very short jeans way above her knees.

"Marisa?" I asked, her clothes and hair suggesting it was her.

She took off her sunglasses while she smiled, revealing yellow eyes.

"Hi, Ken..Wanna Play, ze?" said Marisa.

(Honestly, Marisa needs to learn how to use the word play if she keeps saying it like that. But...)

(She's still the same.....even if she's been modernized..still)

I stood shocked, I have never imagined Marisa would dress up like a Prep in some way.

"Umm...Ken?" said Marisa, trying to wave her hand to get my attention.

I got out of my daze, and cleared my throat.

"Yeah?" I said, feeling uncomfortable inside.

(Uh oh, there's the social anxiety kicking in.)

"Are you busy? Because at 5:00 there's going to be a concert!" exclaimed Marisa.

(If i am not surprised, it's the...)

"We are going to see the Prism, I heard they are a decent band and thought we should check it out, ze~! I swiped us some tickets, because I'm going to bring some friends!"

(Yep, if Marisa is in this somewhat modern world, then others have to be in it too...like the Prismriver sisters..)

"Ok? Sure? By the way, Marisa where did you get that car?" I asked.

Marisa suddenly looked down, she stuttered, while hesitating.

"W-W-Well, uh....."

**Flashback THIRD POV:**

Marisa still in the same clothes walked down the sidewalk, recently finishing up a Lamprey burger.

[A/N:Lamprey is a type of eel]

Nearby a trashcan, Marisa threw in a small box whose label was a burger and two sticks of eel in the back.

"Yum~, I should borrow another Quarter Lamper later" uttered Marisa, recently swallowing her last bite.

She took out her pink Blackberry and checked the time, which was 2:54 at the time.

She had a smile on her face when she immediately spotted a sports car that was grey.

It was a Ferrari Enzo that just stopped right next to her on a curb.

Marisa simply walked over to the driver's door and opened it, then dragged out the person from it.

"This is a robbery. Stay calm" said Marisa nonchalantly.

The person had middle-length blue hair with a large green ribbon, she had a red tie around her neck then a white shirt with an ice cube on it that says "Eye am the Coolest!"

She was wearing blue Capris that had white embroidery, with a sewed in picture resembling a huge nine in a circle.

"Ah no Bitch~. Nobody messes with me, Cirno! declared Cirno.

Cirno threw a jab at Marisa's face which missed while Marisa quickly drilled her in the stomach, smirking at the same time.

Cirno ran out of air as she clutched her stomach with her hands, vulnerable. Marisa did a chambered uppercut to Cirno, knocking her down to the street while losing a few teeth.

Then Marisa grinned an evil smile.

She proceeded to curb-stomp Cirno in the head many times with her right foot, stomping a lot.

A person resembling Komachi in a polyester police suit saw the incident, but decided not to interfere considering it's her break right now.

There's blood on the street while Marisa cracked her neck. She checked Cirno's pockets in her capris by feeling around them. Marisa felt nothing in her pockets, making her lower her head.

"You could've stayed calm, but no! You wouldn't let me borrow it" sneered Marisa.

Marisa jumped into the car with the car keys already in as Cirno forgot to take them out.

Then Marisa looked around for anyone in the car, there was no one.

Then she beamed when she saw five tickets for the Prism and $596 dollars in the front seat.

Marisa closed the door and sped away as a loud roar reached the sky, and cars stopped considering there was a cadaver in the streets.

End Flashback

**Ken's POV**

"So you basically carjacked someone" I bluntly summarized.

(She would be a really great carjacker.)

Marisa frowned before getting into the car, and opening the door to the front seat.

"No I just borrowed it, we just had a conflict" corrected Marisa, closing her door.

I rolled my eyes while walking over to the car...

(I wonder if Marisa was already accused of Grand Theft Auto before.)

I got inside the car, put on my seat belt, and closed the door.

(Ah, leather seats. I miss them.)

Everything you would see in a car would be right here, until I saw a Mokou Bell fountain drink.

(Uh...what? Mokou Bell as in Taco Bell? It's not even that spicy!)

Marisa sipped her drink through a straw before pressing on the gas pedal to make the car go.

"Yum~! Rumi-Ruma~!" said Marisa, cheerfully.

(.....Well Coca-Cola is dark....so I could see the resemblance.)

(But it seems brand names are getting replaced by random stuff in Gensokyo, which is weird. The only thing that isn't changed is the Ferrari Enzo)

"Do you mind if I listen to Nitrous on the radio?" asked Marisa, already changing a knob on the radio.

(Nitrous....Nitori? I did like her arranges)

I smiled before looking out the window, laying my head on the glass.

"No, I don't mind" I said.

Then I heard noise static for a little bit, then I heard some surfer's theme for Nitori's stage.

I got goosebumps and a very cold feeling despite the fact it's really hot in the car, then I recently noticed we were going really fast in the neighborhood.

I looked at Marisa, who didn't even have a seat belt at on.

(Umm~, Safety first Marisa?)

It looked like cookie-cutter housing, the homes you would see in middle-to-high class neighborhoods.

Then we turned into an outlet as Marisa circled around until she stopped at a house that seemed to look very ghetto compared to the other houses.

Then out came a girl with dark red eyes, her black hair was to her shoulders with a big red ribbon on her head.

She had on a red Hollister top with white capris. The girl continued to shut the screen door behind her before walking towards us.

Marisa rolled down her windows, making me move my head.

"Hey, Reimu! Hurry and get in!" yelled Marisa, right in my ear.

(Ow!)

(Wait a sec, Ferrari Enzos only have two seats, unless..)

I look behind my seat as I saw three seats behind us, separated from the front seat by a whole lot of space.

(Huh? That's not possible....what does that tag say...)

The tag found on the ceiling of the Enzo read, "Enhanced by Izayoi Technologies"

(What? Sakuya being CEO of a technology company, I expected Nitori to come up with that. Then again she can control time AND space.)

"Hey Reimu, crawl in through the trunk" said Marisa.

Marisa pushed a button, then the trunk popped open, hearing the whirring of hydraulic machines pushing it up.

(Crawling in through the trunk, that's a new one, only people who are crossing the border probably do that.)

Reimu walked to the back of the trunk, actually crawling in, then she climbed over the leather seats before plopping herself comfortably in one of them.

(There goes your dignity.)

"Thanks for getting me out of the house" thanked Reimu. "I couldn't find any money for the trip"

(That voice was so plain...do you ever have any emotion in your voice at all Reimu?)

(...Damn greedy ghetto people)

I sighed while Marisa grinned with her sunglasses on.

"Ok! Now time to pick up Alice and Nitori! I'll pay for you Reimu" said Marisa.

(Oh goody, I wonder what they are going to look like in the modern world.)

I became extremely curious while I predicted what they are going to look like.

Marisa started the car and immediately gone really fast.

"hehehe...This is exciting, ze!" exclaimed Marisa. "This is so much better than the Ford Pinto I borrowed earlier.

(You borrowed a Ford Pinto....Those aren't even worth stealing.)

"Slow down, Marisa" said Reimu.

(You didn't even sound worried...sarcastic?)

Marisa quickly drifted a corner out of a neighborhood, then immediately accelerated straight.

"Where the hell do you learn how to drive like that?" I asked.

(Honestly, this is getting out of hand.)

"The DMV branch of Shameimaru Enterprises" answered Marisa.

(Aya...Aya...CEO of a corporation? Ayayaya~ I thought all she wanted to do was to be a journalist!)

I slumped in my seat really confused in this modernized version of Gensokyo.

(This can't get any crazier..we just turned into Myon Rd...and I just saw a Keine Elementary.)

(Oh it did.)

We just drove into a parking spot in the middle of a parking lot...

and i saw a Retail store that is called, "Kourin-Mart."

(Kourin-Mart? Like Wal-Mart?)

(There must be a lot of things worth selling in Gensokyo now.)

"Stay here, I'm going to get Alice and Nitori, they should be done shopping by now if they ever get anything" said Marisa.

She leaned forward towards me and pecked me on the cheek before getting out of the car.

(.....You left the car running, but you don't really care do you? It isn't really yours after all.)

I watched Marisa run awkwardly in her flip flops while she made her way towards Kourin-Mart, entering through the automatic doors.

(That's Marisa....too straightforward..)

(Why the hell am i getting a major Deja Vu Moment right now?)

I felt like I lived this moment before, i just don't know it.

"Does she really need to hurry like that? We got two hours before the concert!" said Reimu, only noticing her voice being slightly louder in that last sentence.

"Maybe it's far?" I suggested.

(All car trips are long....in a mini-van)

"She looks ridiculous, look she almost tripped!" said Reimu, no intonation found while she uttered the words.

(You boring ass ghetto miko.)

"Why are you in that ghetto-ass house?" I asked.

(It feels weird talking normally to a Touhou character.)

"My trading card company ran out of business to this other company" replied Reimu, indifferent so far.

(Trading cards? Why am i not surprised?)

"What's the name of your trading cards and who did it ran out of business to?" I asked, beginning to be interested.

(A trading card company? It kinda make sense since Reimu does throw those ofuda around a lot)

Reimu sighed, she sounded like she doesn't want to say it but she has to.

"Rei-me-Oh cards. And we lost business to HinaBlade" answered Reimu.

(Ummm....That sounds like a blatant rip-off to Yu-Gi-Oh and BeyBlade, both a a pastime when I was a kid.)

(Besides, didn't Yu-Gi-Oh withstood the test of time with countless sucky sequels while Beyblade was just a fad with only decorated tops.)

(They were all children's games, wait Reimu as head of a children's company.)

I just laughed at Reimu who kept a straight face, then she punched me in the nose.

"Not funny!" yelled Reimu, finally raising her voice.

I was busy covering my nose hoping it wasn't broken to notice her words.

(Gosh Ghetto people are strong.)

Then I heard footsteps and I saw Marisa running, and two other people running with her.

One had a red headband in her blond hair with golden eyes as she wore an AliPostale top with very very short jeans, and Uggs.

(Who wears Uggs in the summer?)

The other one had a green cap with an N with blue hair and dark blue eyes in a ponytail along with a shirt that says, "Noly Overlord of ToujinStyle" and cargo pants.

(Alice? in an Aeropostale err....Alipostale shirt? and Nitori was actually the Owner of ToujinStyle? MADNESS!!!)

Marisa got in the car and popped open the trunk, while finally putting on her seat belt.

(Because every little bit of your dignity has gotta go when you need fast transportation.)

Both Alice and Nitori got in the car through the trunk while they crawled in, then they had to climb over the leather seats to sit on them. Alice ended up almost kicking Reimu in the face.

(How exactly are they going to come out if they enter like that?)

The engine let out a huge roar before backing out of the parking spot and speeding towards Myon Rd, then drifting right to the ...Saigyouji Highway.

"Now It's going to take a while to get to Makai, but we'll make it!" said Marisa.

Marisa apparently sped up the Ferrari to about, as it read on the gauge, 320 mph.

(That's really fast for a car.)

"Oh this is so much fun!" exclaimed Marisa.

I looked over at her, and saw that she had her eyes and mouth wide open, while smiling evilly.

(Damn that's fast, luckily we're on a straight road. Now I got this really uncomfortable feeling where you get pushed back in your seat really far.)

(Time to ask the overlord a few questions)

"Girl in blue hair, Nitori is it?" I asked.

"Uh-huh" she answered in a timid voice.

(I would be scared too since the driver is a kleptomaniac.)

"Are you really the overlord of ToujinStyle?" I asked.

"Uh-huh"

(You better not say that answer again.)

"Well I am also known as DoseBleed. I am doing a fanfic called Crossing OVER the border. I'm sure you seen my profile a few times" I said.

"Oh yeah. You're the guy that Acy doesn't like because you keep making food topics, I also like your fanfiction" said Nitori.

"But was it necessary to spawn two more inspired stories in the Touhou General Chat Thread by Matsu011 and Tagestical?"

"Hey! They were INSPIRED! Don't blame them! If you made a Fanfiction thread then everything would have be A-Ok for us!" I said, yelling at a prestigious owner of a forum.

Suddenly the car lurched downwards for a seconds, then went back up, making me hit my head on the roof.

My head suddenly gained a migraine, feeling a little bit dizzy for a second.

"Sorry, I didn't see the pothole up ahead" apologized Marisa.

(Well, of course you didn't. Look how fast your car is going! I'm surprised you didn't ram into one already!)

There was silence for a little bit.

"True..But..." continued Nitori, before...

"MARISA! GIRL IN THE HIGHWAY! STOP THE CAR!" Yelled Alice.

Marisa immediately braked, fortunately saving the supposed girl.

Inertia being a bitch, my seat belt snapped as I crashed through the windshield.

(Seat belts that snap? That's really cheap.)

I flied forward in space, feeling air whipping my cheeks.

"FUU~" I yelled.

I looked down to see a blue long-haired red-eyed girl, wearing just jeans and a white tank top, with a hat of peaches.

(Tenshi?)

"GOD DAMN IT!" yelled the girl. "This always happens!"

(When masochistic tendencies go too far...)

I was still soaring through the air, flying like an arrow.

(Damn the car must have been going really fast for me to still be going like a bullet, i think my cheeks are flapping.)

(Oh no....no no no no)

I was going towards a glass office building while I took a quick glimpse of the person looking out the window.

She had black wings, short black hair, a tokin on her head, red eyes, and wearing a business suit with a skirt decorated with leaves.

She had a really scared impression on her face as she backed away from the window with wide eyes.

"AHH~!" I yelled.

I quickly sat up.

(Where am i now?)

I looked around and saw that I am in the Hakurei Shrine in a futon.

(Oh my god, that was the weirdest dream ever.)

I saw a huge pile of money sitting across to me next to a wall.

(I think Reimu was paid to help us.)

(What? Bandages?)

I looked over all me, i didn't have a shirt on, while my body was literally covered in bandages.

(Great....I'm a mummy.)

(Oh yeah I think I got hurt a lot in the library, I think I lost my powers.)

*Slap


	20. Rise to Power Chapter 2

**Ken's POV:**

"Ow!"

(Who did that?!)

I looked around in the shrine to see who slapped my face. It was Reimu with her hair undone with only a sarashi covering her boobs. She was sitting down at my level, looking irritated.

(Armpits are not exposed, damn it!)

I looked at Reimu while relaxing, while feeling tinges of dull pain on my body.

Reimu seems to have comforted as well as soon as she saw the huge piles of silver coins in the corner.

(What do you know? Money does buy happiness!)

"Do you really have to scream that loud in the morning?!" said Reimu, tired.

"Lucky for you, I got paid to take care of you."

(Take care of me? Why not Marisa?)

I raised my eyebrows, glaring at Reimu.

"Uhh~ Why don't I stay at Marisa's?" I asked.

(Especially since I don't want to be around you.)

Reimu sighed while getting up, shaking her head.

"Because i was also paid to train you, I'm not telling you why" replied Reimu.

(Oh, so that's how its like now)

(Reimu training me, wasn't she mad at me before?)

(Hey, was that one incident at the SDM fixed?)

"Hey, what about the incident?" I asked.

I heard a loud splash of water before Reimu came into view with her face dripping and her hair soaked. I looked past her and saw a barrel with water in it.

"I had to fix the rest and apologized for YOU!" yelled Reimu.

Reimu pointed her finger at me and gave me an angry glare, stomping her foot.

"I had to help them fix that gate Marisa broke!"

She continued to wash her hair with the water barrel.

"Luckily they didn't care about what you did to uhh.....that Chinese girl or whoever"

(Meiling? Ehhh, of course they didn't care.)

(I don't understand how that works though, she was strong surprisingly.)

I began to remember more about my involvement in the SDM.

(Didn't I had trouble with my powers at the library?)

I immediately got up, despite the fact my body ached all over with the bandages on me.

I ran to the sliding door and slid it open before going outside.

"HEY!" yelled Reimu.

(I gotta check if i still have my powers!)

(Oh hey what do you know? The scarlet fog is gone, now I can actually see some trees and not die of hypothermia in the summer.)

I noticed the immediate scenery around me as I expected to see the fog covering the landscape.

(Too bad about that princess...)

Then an image of Remilla with Sakuya holding an umbrella over her came up in my head, I shook my head.

(Inconvenient but at least she can go outside.)

(Oh yeah.)

Then I got to concentrating all of my mind on flying.

(Ok...)

From the porch of the Shrine, I just tried hovering on air by stepping on it...

I managed to do it, hovering in the air, shaking slightly.

(Great, now let's see if I can gain altitude)

I went up in the air very slowly.

(What happened to me!?)

As soon I got as high as the Shrine's roof, Gravity became a bitch and quickly dragged me down.

I landed on my right heel which slipped on the ground before falling on my back.

Then there was an immediate sharp pain on my back.

"Ow!"

(Wait a second, this all happened from when I ate those noodles. Marisa did say i was fizzling, I should have took more caution.)

(Those noodles were from Yakumo.)

I raised my fist in the air, cursing a certain someone.

"DAMN YOU, YUKARI!" I cursed into the air, shaking my fist.

"Shut up! You're going to wake everyone up! I can't find my clothes!" yelled Reimu.

(Too much information....)

After the pain grew dull and subsided, I slowly got up having to brace myself with my hands on the shrine's porch as support.

(Well I know I can barely fly, can i still do danmaku?)

I focused on a small blue ball in my head.

I extended my right hand in front of me and aimed at a tree close to the stairs of the entrance to the shrine.

(Let's make it go!)

"GO!" I bellowed.

A small blue bullet came out from my hand and struck the tree at a fast pace, leaving a burnt mark.

(Ok I know I can make one bullet, but that's very easy to graze.)

(Do i still have my spell cards?)

I reached in my pockets and felt a sudden decrease in the number of cards I have.

(What?! Two?!)

I took them out with one hand and held them in view.

(So I only have the ambush card and the Art of Defense card.)

(Why is it that my sword cards and that wind kick card are gone?)

(Come to think about it, where's that Tsurugi?)

I checked my body to see that my sword is not bound to me.

(Meh, I'll find it later...I need to see if I can use my spell cards.)

I put away my Art of defense card in my pocket while I held up my other one while looking at the same tree.

"Seeker Sign! AMBUSH!" I declared, somehow not incurring Reimu's wrath for yelling loudly.

This time, only two globe bullets came out in each flank, and "inched" forward slowly towards the tree.

(You have got to be kidding me.)

After they hit the tree, I felt really winded all of a sudden, while I hyperventilated.

I dropped down to my knees as i held my head.

"Augh~, headaches didn't happen before when i used that spell" I said.

(Maybe i did truly lose effectiveness in all areas essential..)

(....)

I took a moment to think as I no longer clutched my head, the headache subsiding.

(I guess with Reimu training me, maybe I will get better..)

(But how was I so good back then, it couldn't be just that mushroom i ate before.)

I shrugged my shoulders with a nonchalant face.

(I guess effects from other worlds don't last as long here.)

"Ken~!" yelled Reimu.

I sighed, getting up from the ground.

(What does she want now?)

She came out with an American Eagle bag, I heard money sounds in it.

(I don't think there is any American Eagle stores in Gensokyo. Where the hell did you get that?)

She had her other hand behind her back.

(What's that behind your back?)

Reimu had tears in her eyes for some reason, but she still had the same emotionless face.

(Why the hell is she crying...)

She was fully dressed as a shrine maiden now, managing to find her clothes.

I looked down at her feet, feeling somewhat empty.

(I really miss those legs in my dream.)

Reimu cleared her throat indicating I should give my attention to her.

"Yeah?" I said.

Reimu replied, "I'm going shopping in the Human Village...I want you to..."

(Oh no wonder~! You're going to spend with your one true love~! Typical greedy miko.)

Reimu held out her other hand from her back carrying a broom and the gohei.

"Sweep the shrine, I'm bringing my gohei just in case something happens" said Reimu

(Oh sure Ms. Youkai Exterminator~!)

I took the broom from her hands before she lowered her hands.

"When I come back, we're going to be training. This courtyard better be clean when I come back, or else~" said Reimu, bringing an ominous feeling in the air.

Then Reimu flew away to do her job in the northeast while she flew high in altitude.

(Jeez, Soon I will be able to do that~!)

(Well, I guess I'm stuck here cleaning right now.)

I started to sweep the courtyard, even if it seems very spotless, I continued to sweep....at nothing.

(What the hell am I doing? I'm sweeping nothing!)

After about a few minutes, I noticed that I saw my I-pod beside the stairs to the shrine.

I dropped the broom, hearing a loud clang, and picked up the I-pod.

(What's with this strange urge I have to listen to Captain Murasa with vocals, might as well fulfill it.)

Soon after scrolling through the multitude of songs, I found a song called Sky Pirate.

(Hmm~, Sounds about right, as long as it's related to that UFO theme.)

I put it on speaker since I don't want to use earphones.

(Huh, sounds like that one Pirates of the Caribbean movie right now.)

I put the I-pod down on the Shrine's steps and picked up my broom.

I continued to sweep when the vocals kicked in.

(Now I want to sweep even more than usual, thanks to that voice that I don't actually understand.)

(Usually I am only enthusiastic in games, now it's cleaning?)

(Might as well fulfill that urge, I should also fulfill the urge to get rid of those urges soon.)

I got a very evil smile on my face while I suddenly tighten my grip on the broom.

(Let's do this!)

Then i swept more vigorously while I literally danced to the song, putting more emphasis where I step at the beat and rhythm.

Dust was everywhere as I swept my broom eagerly, using the intonation of the vocals with how much force I put into the broom, kicking up dust in the air.

(Now I am just making a mess.)

I swept the dust i made into the grass.

(So does that mean the grass tea Reimu drinks is full of dirt?)

I pondered that, almost having vomited, while I swept vigorously.

(I should remember not to drink her tea if its made with dust.)

I swept and swept the dust into the grass as I made my way down to the hill stairs.

As soon as i got there and completed my job, I still had that urge to go above and beyond.

(I still want to clean more. That's a weird urge, guess I will fulfill it even more.)

I looked all over the Shrine for a supply closet, finding it in the corner.

I slowly slid open the door with one broom in hand.

I looked around for a potential place to put this broom, having getting impatient looking for a proper place, I just threw it somewhere in the closet. It made a strange metal sound.

(Huh? I thought modern technology doesn't exist in Gensokyo, other than the ones brought here.)

I got into the supply closet, coughing due to the air being really dusty being filled with spores.

(Man....does Reimu ever think about this part of the Shrine? The spores in here could kill you, like how a Mummy's curse comes true)

I looked everywhere until I found a strange orange cloth and a bucket next to it.

(Looks that orange cloth is strangely identical to that ShamWow dishrag whatever.)

I picked up the "ShamWow" and the bucket and began to leave the room.

(What the? Why is there a person in the supply closet....?)

The person was facing the wall with her back towards me. She had green hair and wore a french maid outfit.

(Now I don't know much about PC-98 games but isn't that Ruukoto, Reimu's robot maid?)

(Why is she rejected like this? Reimu wouldn't need my help cleaning if she had her...)

Ruukoto somehow immediately bent over, revealing a ominous sign.

It was a Radiation sign, and it said, "Please remember to replace the cold fusion reactor every 365 years."

I immediately backed away after reading that message, then I slowly tip-toed out of the closet before shutting the door quickly.

(I don't care if its Cold Fusion, it makes radiation. And I do NOT want to die of Cancer where its unheard of in this land.)

(Unless you live underground....maybe that's how Utsuho became a birdbrain...even if she is a hell raven.)

I chuckled at the image of Utsuho getting many tumors and polyps in her head.

(Well, enough of that...time to wipe the floor clean with a possible sham.)

The sound of the vocals got closer while I moved closer to it.

I put the I-pod on the donation box as i began to wipe the Shrine's floor with much enthusiasm!

(circular motion....CIRCULAR MOTION!!)

I wiped robustly as I slid open the door to the shrine....

(Eh? the floor is tatami mats...well no use in having this anymore...)

I poured out the Sham's contents into the grass, and walked to the Supply Closet.

(Hopefully that will make the grass like the bluegrass i see in Good Old Kentucky..)

(.....)

(God i miss KFC and ALE8.)

I remember the bucket with that happy Colonel's face with the breasts and wings in it that welcomed me, and the green bottle that was engraved "ALE8" tasting like ginger ale while I slid open the door to the Closet.

Then I licked my lips while I just threw in the bucket with the cloth and closed the door.

(But Rotisserie Chicken at Kroger's is better!)

I walked back to the shrine as I sat on the donation box, now just listening to the I-pod.

(Well everything is spotless, I don't see any reason to clean anymore...even if I still have that urge.)

(I think i should practice flying...after all, that incident caused me to almost lose it in the first place...)

I sighed, getting off the donation box and landing on the clean courtyard with my feet.

(.....Ramen Noodles are very evil this time of year...)

Then I concentrated on flying again, while relaxing my limbs.

(How fast can i go first of all?)

I hovered in the air indicating the first step then moved forward slowly.

(Well this is a-lot harder than Astral Projecting.)

(I can only go that slow? Come on.....)

I concentrated on going faster, which sorta worked as I moved faster, but not noticeably.

**Third POV:**

Meanwhile at the Youkai Mountain at noon, Aya Shameimaru tried and tried again unsuccessfully to wake up Momiji while close to a waterfall.

Momiji was laying on her back against a rock, an exasperated Aya sat next to her, despite Aya's efforts and the loudness of the waterfall crashing against a river, she doesn't show any sign of waking up.

"Ayayaya~, Why won't she wake up?" said Aya.

Aya constantly slapped Momiji in the face, which had some effect as Momiji woke up.

She opened her eyes to about a slit for a second then closed them.

"No, Aya....One more hour.." said Momiji.

Aya grinned with an evil smile, a faint lightbulb appearing above her head.

"I'll take all your secret maple syrup and throw it away" Aya threatened.

Momoji suddenly stood up and raced to an unknown position without even noticing Aya.

"YOU AIN'T TOUCHIN MY MAPLE SYRUP, EH!" yelled a valiant Momoji from a distance.

Aya grinned with a smile on her face as she took out her journal and wrote down some stuff.

"Hehehe, now I know where it is!" said Aya. "Why do I now feel more victorious than ever? All I did was find a secret supply of maple syrup."

**Ken's POV**  
(Jeez i can barely fly....this sucks..)

I went back to sitting down on the porch of the shrine after failing to go faster and almost tripping over on the stairs.

Then I saw a figure in the distance.

It had a red bowtie on her brownish black hair wearing a red and white miko outfit.

(Well, Reimu's back....I guess it's time to get ready for training.)

I limbered up as much as I can, more than when I used to play In the Groove, while Reimu landed next to the shrine with several bags of food.

(That's a lot of food.)

"Jeez, you didn't have to go that far, but I'm impressed...what are you doing? and why is that noise on?" asked Reimu.

"Getting ready for training...and that noise is what i need for training" I said, slightly irritated.

(Heh Noise my ass.. Have people not heard of music in Gensokyo?! At all?!)

Reimu replied, "How troublesome" before heading into the shrine for a few minutes, sliding open the door with the food bags, then closing it.

(I hope I don't pull a muscle...I made the same mistake before playing Vertex^2.)

I sat on the ground trying to touch my toes with my hands with my legs stretched.

(Wow i haven't actually exercised in a while, I should prioritize Cardio over everything else in case the attack of the balls comes again.)

(But what's the point of that if I can fly? Even If I am now very slow.)

I remembered when I was chased out of the shrine by Reimu with the Fantasy Seal when I got her angry.

(Oh memories, they're only at most a week away.)

Then a door slid open and closed again as Reimu appeared while sweating.

"I haven't done much ever since i entered Makai" remarked Reimu.

(So fighting a vampire must not be enough for you, and a time-stopping maid.)

(And here you are admitting you're lazy?!)

"Are you going to help me train?" I asked impatiently, tapping my foot on the courtyard.

"Yes....I can't really help you learn how to fly but i can teach you danmaku" said Reimu.

(Either way, it's fine.)

She took out ofuda from her outfit and prepared to throw it at me.

"First a simple danmaku duel, no spell cards, I need to evaluate you first" said Reimu.

(Pssh...ok?)

"Ok then, let's do this!" I exclaimed eagerly.

Reimu immediately threw at me tons of ofuda in a spiral formation with her left hand, while throwing aimed ones with her right hand, hovering in the air.

I quickly hovered in the air too and dodged the ones in the spiral formation and grazing the aimed ones.

(Man, this is hard, especially with the stress she's putting on my body. why do I have a headache? Is it because I'm still in the air hovering?)

I clutched my head but kept on dodging and grazing. I can still see and detect gaps in her pattern but my head was distracting me.

After a few minutes, I fell to the ground panting and grabbing my head while I got attacked by ofuda.

They latched on to my skin cohesively and made it feel like it's burning my skin off!

(Ow! HOT HOT HOT!)

I tried desperately to pull it off, but my head was hurting too much.

Reimu canceled the ofuda and walked over to me. I still felt the tinge of the burning paper on my skin.

(Jeez my head.....)

I looked up and saw Reimu with her typical emotionless face, crossing her arms.

"It looks like we do need to work on flying first, you can barely concentrate on the ofuda because of a headache yes?" analyzed Reimu.

I nodded as I still clutched my head, the pain began to dull, making me relax.

"Well that's because your body is used to flying really fast, and since you can't anymore, your brain is confused" explained Reimu

(I have been thinking random thoughts lately. But what's really random is that a shrine maiden tells me something science related for the first time))

"So, You have to get used to it" said Reimu, bluntly.

(What?)

"I can't persevere through that! You didn't have to on the other hand because of your damn latent talent" I assumed.

Reimu twitched then grabbed me by the neck, gripping it tightly.

"You idiot! I didn't have the talent to fly! I was already used to Genji, who is a turtle, go really fast in the air. I had to go through the same headache like you!" Reimu snapped.

Reimu sighed and let me go, back to crossing her arms while also averting her eyes in another direction.

"It did go away if I was carrying something heavy for a long while" said Reimu.

(Carrying something heavy huh? If i am flying then it would mean i don't have to worry about my toes getting crushed.)

"But the ones I used are long gone, i lost them in Makai" said Reimu.

(I'm for some reason not surprised if Shinki has them for decoration.)

Reimu seemed to brightened up, trying to force a smile.

"There is one place that i know can help you....but you won't be welcome there" warned Reimu.

(Where at? and why?)

"Where at?"

"The Scarlet Devil Mansion."


	21. Rise to Power Chapter 3

**Ken's POV**

(What? Wasn't I just....)

"Uh Reimu, I'm pretty sure they are going to be pretty hostile towards me" I said, confused by Reimu's last statement.

Reimu rolled her eyes and shook her head.

(Did you just diss me?)

(Muthafucking Miko...wait she's not white.)

"I can fly you over to the SDM but you have to find some weights on your own" said Reimu.

(Well that's nice to know, except that really didn't solve the whole hostile thing.)

Reimu stood there with a very vague face while i looked at her reprehensibly.

(That's got to be the most retarded idea I ever heard.)

"So you expect me....to go find some weights on my own...in a very hostile place" I said slowly, making sure Reimu hears every word.

Reimu slowly nodded and stayed calm, while i was boiling in anger.

*Explodes

"ARE YOU FUCKING INSANE?" I yelled.

Reimu now looked at me, astonished at my language.

"YOU EXPECT ME TO GO OVER TO THE SDM AND JUST GET SOME WEIGHTS LIKE ITS OK?! HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT ME GETTING ATTAC...."

"I see the boy recovered after a few days...." A childish voice that rang out, interrupting my tirade.

(Whaa? Who said that?)

I immediately looked around and focused on the entrance of the shrine where i see two figures coming with one of them little, the other tall while holding an umbrella.

Both were coming up the stairs, very slowly.

(Eh?! It's not even raining...why would you carry an umbrella? A parasol yeah but an umbrella?)

I stood in confusion as the two figures began to be more and more distinct.

Reimu sighed in discomfort as she looked at the entrance too.

"You two again? When are you guys going to stop visiting?" complained Reimu. "You two are so troublesome."

"Don't talk that way to a higher social class, you should be lucky I am visiting this dilapidated hovel" replied the unknown voice, scoffing at Reimu.

(Dilapidat...what? I could definitely tell that was an insult...)

Reimu twitched then crossed her arms, looking down irritated.

(Someone actually beat Reimu in a battle of words without either trying to kill each other. Wow...)

The two figures walked toward us as they came out of the shadows of the trees.

A feeling of dread swept my body while I began to sweat from the sun and the figures i now recognized.

(Oh....shouldn't i be running away now?)

I gasped as I saw them getting closer while calmly walking. Timid, I tried to run to the shrine.

(I would have gotten in too if it weren't for that meddling Reimu grabbing my wrist and resisting)

(You know, for a shrine maiden, she's actually pretty strong.)

I continue to struggle for a little bit, then I just sat down, crossed my arms, and looked down in frustration like a bratty kid who shouted, "Je veux le bon bon" whenever he wanted donuts.

The small figure giggled as I raised my head.

(Sakuya and Remilia....i should be ok, they haven't killed me yet.)

Sakuya has dark red eyes, silver hair, has a long braid on each side of her head, and her apron is stuffed to the brim with many knives.

She's wearing a light pink and dark blue french maid's outfit with short sleeves, and a white bonnet on her head.

The other one, Remilia, has red eyes, short light-blue hair, and a pair of black bat-like wings on back.

She's wearing a light red mob cap and dress, with bright red trimming.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to kill you, as much as i want to" comforted Remilia, unnervingly.

(You sound more childish then i expected.)

"We never see the end of Marisa stealing our books, and it's all thanks to YOU. We had ENOUGH destruction in the mansion!" said Remilia, becoming more enraged.

Remilia pointed at me with her left hand.

(And so I am the reason Marisa began her shopping spree in the library..)

"Especially without China to warn us, and you had to send her to BED, for more than a day!" yelled Remilia.

(Meiling...Youkai are supposed to heal in their sleep in only a day or two at most....China must be staying in for some other reason...)

I began to get more interested in Remilia's tirade while I put my hand up to my chin, scratching it slightly like i am thinking, while Remilia gets even more and more angrier.

Reimu already left to the shrine, seeing as my wrist isn't gripped anymore.

(Jeez, does she really have to leave a red mark on my wrist?)

"Uuu~, poor Patchy, she's losing her books, and Sakuya has to do extra work every day all because of..."

And I lost interest, I blocked out Remilia's voice as I began to pay attention to Sakuya.

She coldly stared back at me, like a bodyguard does, I noticed something familiarly peculiar on her chest.

(I think Sakuya busts are UNUSUALLY bigger and somehow NOT on the same level. "Oh i wonder why is that?")

(How did people not notice yet?)

I opened my eyes wide on purpose while looking straight at Sakuya, who gave a disgusted yet perplexed look back.

Sakuya peered down at her chest, she panicked quickly, then she tried to calmed down while Remilia was still shouting.

She was trying to give me signs to stop staring, I blinked back at her with my left eye, while as she began to get irritated.

(Oh god this is so much fun teasing Sakuya like that.)

Sakuya was just about to reach in to her apron, when Remilia noticed me gawking at someone else.

"What are you doing?! PAY ATTENTION, YOU IDIOT!" scolded Remilia.

Remilia's face was really red as she was about to explode.

(Now it's time to tell her it was a joke.)

"Eh? What? Oh hey is it true you are related to Vlad Tepes?" I asked, hoping to take away some of her anger.

(Vlad Tepes, how exactly did he get the name Dracula now?)

I saw Remilia grinning instantly the moment i finished saying Tepes.

(I think the brat takes pride in being a descendant of Dracula, which isn't something to be proud. At least she isn't related to that one Hungarian countess, that would just be grotesque. Now hopefully my plan will work with this comic i got it off from.)

"Why yes, boy~. I am a direct descendant from Te-TE~!"

Remilia tilted her head backwards, taking a deep breath in, Sakuya looked down at her while letting out a sigh of relief.

(Plan is working so...far...just...got...to...see...that...in..person)

I grinned when it came to fruition.

"Tsepesshu!" Remilia sneezed loudly.

I beamed, happy that the plan came true.

(CHARISMA BREAK!!! YES!)

I raised my arms and pumped it down like in victory.

Sakuya caught me doing that and giggled, while Remilia recovered from the sneeze, her nose a little red.

"I think....My lady Remilia....has caught a cold" stuttered Sakuya.

I looked at Sakuya, seeing that her nose is bleeding a little bit, with the blood just almost out of her nose.

(Unlike her, I developed my moe barrier against Charisma Breaks, now Yuri and disgustingly adorable pictures are a different story.)

(Oh look, some snot is dripping out of Remilia's nose.)

"Uuu~. As i was saying, i am..."

"Hey Remilia, your nose.." I interrupted, slightly smirking.

I lightly tapped my left nostril a few times to designate where it is.

Remilia checked her right nostril instead.

(I meant MY LEFT. Don't you have a sense of direction?)

I shook my head when Remilia saw me, and just snorted it up.

Me and Sakuya slightly laughed while the Sakuya's nosebleeding began to quicken.

(You need someone to get that checked out, Sakuya.)

Then I focused my attention on Sakuya as I tapped my nose again.

Sakuya actually caught on and wiped it off with her maid's outfit, leaving a bloodstain on her sleeve while she somewhat blushed and smiled.

Remilia snorted up her nose again but loudly.

(You know, that's more like a jet intake than snorting.)

"As i was saying, I am a direct descendant of Vl...Vlaaa~!"

"IF YOU SNEEZE IN MY GRASS AGAIN, I'M GOING TO KILL YOU" Reimu interrupted, angry.

(Okay that time, I think she couldn't pronounce his name...but that was so funny.)

I immediately laughed out loud while Sakuya tried to abstain herself from laughing, despite her lips quivering.

(So you don't mind whatever you sweep into your grass but you do when it comes to snot? That doesn't even make sense!)

Remilia was getting mad, before stomping her foot a few times on the ground.

"Come on Reimu, I'm sure people won't notice a little snot in the grass" I remarked.

Then the shrine door immediately slid open, slamming against wood while I turned around and looked.

Reimu glared at me angrily, then quickly turned back to her emotionless stare while carrying a plate with four cups of tea.

Reimu sat it down on the porch while she began to sit on the porch herself.

Then Remilia and Sakuya followed suit and grabbed teacups, sitting next to Reimu.

I sat next to Sakuya, with my teacup.

We all drank at the same time as Remilia immediately spat it out in disgust.

(I wouldn't do that if I were you.)

"Oh no you didn't!" said Reimu, uncharacteristically calm. She slapped Remilia in the back of her head, making her flinch a little and shook in fear.

"Would you do the same if you were POOR!?" continued Reimu.

(Why do you care? Weren't you paid before?)

Remilia was about to say something but then stayed quiet and continued shaking.

(Don't mess with grouchy people like that.)

Reimu took a few more sips of tea, before taking in a deep breath.

"Ken, I told Genji to take you over to the SDM when you are ready, He knows where it is since I told him, he should be in the spring nearby" said Reimu.

(Got it....Ask a turtle to fly me quickly to the SDM....oxymoron.)

I noticed Remilia doesn't have her teacup anymore while she looked around for it, she saw Reimu pouring it into her cup.

"Hey~!" Remilia fretted, while reaching her hands out for the teacup, Reimu having it just out of reach.

"If you don't like it, why would you bother keeping it?" said Reimu coldly.

(Logic like that....isn't smart, especially if there's possible backwash in that tea, but it can shut someone up really fast.)

(Now to test and see if the word PADS is truly cursed!)

(..I must be really cocky today..)

"Hey Sakuya" I said, trying to get her attention.

Sakuya looked at me in response, while sipping her tea.

"Yes?" responded Sakuya.

I got closer to Sakuya's ear, making her blush, but not as much.

"I know you wear pads but that doesn't mean I'm that big of a jerk to yell it out loud" I whispered.

I think I felt three knives up already against my stomach, then that threatening feeling was gone when I finished my sentence.

(Yep she's tense about the word PADS. Who knew Fanon ever gets something right?)

Sakuya became flustered while smiling, quickly putting the knives away in her apron, before leaning in close to my ear.

"Umm....How do you know that? I never told anyone that before, and if anyone did find out, he would soon forget it forever" replied Sakuya.

(That sounds intimidating, and it's working.)

"Your breasts look kinda out of place" I whispered, trying to not get the attention of Remilia and Reimu, who did not notice so far.

Sakuya quickly looked down at her breasts and saw that one of them seems to be more lopsided than the other.

(Reimu and Remilia are blind, I swear, anyone could see THAT!)

She went and reached in her shirt, fixed it and took it out. The breasts now seemed more natural

(I really want to squeeze them right now to see how pads feel.)

(But then I would get knifed instantly for being an idiot worse than Cirno.)

Just the thought of Cirno calling me an idiot just took away that perverted thought, it would make anyone ashamed for the rest of their lives.

(It's a good thing Remilia changed Sakuya's fate for Sakuya to be more nicer towards humans. At least that's what I read in Perfect Memento in Strict Sense.)

"See? I even told you your pads needed fixing" I whispered.

Again, I felt a knife up against my stomach for a moment, then it was gone the moment after I finished my sentence.

(Woah, Paranoia at a whole new level.)

Sakuya continued to blush and smile at me, while I winked back.

I began to get an uncomfortable feeling.

"Thank you, you do know that these pads are my secret. And now that you know about it, please, for your sake, don't disclose it to anyone else" whispered Sakuya in a worried yet threatening tone, before sipping her tea again.

(That's right! I said pads without getting killed, TAKE THAT FANBOYS!)

(Now this feeling I'm getting is giving me a bad vibe, I should go ahead and go.)

I stood up, getting a glance from Sakuya.

"I'm going to go ahead and go to the SDM, hopefully I won't die, since Reimu is sending me on a suicidal mission" I said.

"Fufufu~"

Reimu seemed to laugh while drinking her tea.

(Why you little sadist...)

"Since when did i let you into the mansion?" protested Remilia.

"Ever since the Psycho Miko says i have to, and you can't really argue with her" I replied.

Reimu twitched when I said the first part, then nodded at the second part. She gave me and Remilia a dangerous glare, unnerving both of us.

"Well Then....WAIT!" said Remilia.

(Why would she want me to wait? I'm pretty sure she wants me out of her sight.)

Remilia took a little note from her dress, then she gave it to me.

"Yell this really loud if you see an intruder, A girl with prism wings in the mansion, Patchy on the ground, or any destruction you see...then we'll be there in an instant!" Remilia explained.

I read the note in my head and it says, "Sakuya-san, Sakuya-san, cleaning stop, ROOM! CLEANING! STOP!"

(What the...you want me to use a meme to call you guys?! And risk getting hit in the head by Sakuya?)

I gave Remilia a very perplexed look, narrowing my eyes at her.

(You're kidding me right?!)

"Trust me! We can hear that from far away!" confirmed Remilia.

"What does that say, my lady Remilia?" asked Sakuya.

"None of your business, Sakuya" responded Remilia coldly.

"Yes, lady Remilia"

(Jeez, Remilia, why treat her like such a dog? That was cold.)

"Umm~, thanks? I'll use it when i need it.....bye" I said, trying to retreat as quickly as possible.

"Just don't BREAK anything when you get there! Just like that witch." said Remilia.

(Yadada, I don't care.)

Remilia went back to sitting next to Reimu and glared at me.

"What are you waiting for? Get out of my sight!" exclaimed Remilia.

(Bipolar Bitch......)

I waved back while I walked towards the spring, both Remilia and Reimu didn't even bother to wave back while Sakuya did, and for some reason, was blushing and smiling at me.

(Why is she blushing at me? Oh right her secret, but that doesn't feel like it though.)

I got to the spring where a turtle was floating above it.

(This must be Genji. I never expected him to be that big....maybe some toxic liquid from the outside world mutated him when he was a baby? Was he raised by a rat and taught Kung Fu as well?)

"Are you Ken?" the turtle asked.

(I didn't expect him to be able to talk either.)

"Yes. Can you take me to the SDM?" I asked.

As I finished saying that, I put the note Remilia gave to me in my pocket.

Genji observed and looked at me, while floating in the air

"So you want me to take you over there when you are only wearing shorts...sounds pretty dangerous for a human" remarked Genji.

(Reimu probably took my shirt so....)

"It's the only thing i have right now..." I said, trailing off at the end.

"Alright, I will fulfill Reimu's wish and take you to the SDM. Get on my back." ordered Genji.

I jumped and almost landed in the spring thanks to his slippery shell.

I finally got on it and sat crisscross while Genji began to take me to the SDM by flying up high in the air.

I began to think deeply, a troubling thought occurring to me about what recently happened.

(At the shrine, did i just flirt with Sakuya?)


	22. Rise to Power Chapter 4

**Ken's POV**

(I hope Sakuya doesn't realize I accidentally flirted with her.)

(I am already in a relationship with Marisa, even if Matsu011 and NameLess said to build a harem and encourage me on to date her too.)

(...Why am I listening to random people over the internet?)

I was thinking pensively while I was on Genji's back on the way to the SDM.

We are almost close to the Misty Lake.

"Is that the Misty Lake over there?" asked Genji

"Yeah, if you keep going straight ahead, we should be at the SDM soon" I replied.

(I hope.)

"Ok! hold on tight!" yelled Genji.

(Why? You're a damn turtle...)

Suddenly Genji quickly increased in speed while I almost slid off the turtle's shell.

"Cowabunga!" yelled Genji.

I quickly held fast on to the shell's edges while I gripped with all my might.

(What the hell? You're a turtle, turtles are supposed to be slow.)

(This is a major contradiction in reality.)

(Note to self: Trying to use common sense in Gensokyo only hurts your brain.)

If anybody could see me right now, I would be hanging on a turtle while my feet dangled in the air.

"I told you to hang on!" scolded Genji, not even bothering to slow down.

(So that's what Reimu meant....I should listen to her once in a while.)

(Come on, if i can still fly at least. My fingers are starting to slip off.)

I struggled to just hover onto Genji's back, while my fingers lost their strength.

We were now over the Misty lake while I still was hanging, but in a more secure state.

(Good thing Momentum works both ways...)

I was literally like a piece of string tied to outside of the fan.

I was hanging on Genji's turtle shell with both arms wrapped around the shell with Genji's head in between, while my body was doing the ostrich position in the air.

I was closing my eyes because I didn't want the wind to be whipping my eyes.

(If i even raised my head, it would feel like a bitchslap. Must keep my head down at all costs.)

(Great. Gensokyo, a land of time-stopping maids and flying turtles, could logic get any worse?)

(Now that i think about Gensokyo, I haven't urinated or excreted ever since in that bush in the Forest of Magic.)

(I am guessing using danmaku relies on the power of your waste products.)

Then I imagined feces as a potential ingredient to a certain elixir.

(Eirin must be really crazy if that was an ingredient.)

(What the?! How come i don't feel anything on my fingers, wasn't I holding onto Genji's shell?)

I opened my eyes, and I saw that i was hurtling over the ground on my own.

(Wait i can't fly yet, hold up!)

I looked behind me and I saw Genji, who was parked at the shore while he began to be blurry image.

(I take that back, Momentum is a bitch.)

"FUU~!" I yelled.

BAM!

I hit my head on the mansion's walls, before I fell back. My head gave off a sharp headache, making me groan.

(Well, my head hurts even more now, that's the result. Am i bleeding?)

I quickly felt my head, strangely feeling no blood.

(Then again, my head felt something soft. Wait a second!)

I looked up, seeing on the stool a makeshift Meiling doll with pillows, Meiling's clothes, and sticks with a ginger wig and China's hat.

The pillow had drawings on it that resembled a vigilant face with mittens on the ends of two sticks resembling her arms, in a battle ready stance.

(How can you be ready for battle if you're sitting?)

However the head was on the ground due to my impact, along with some broken sticks as they lay on the ground.

The hat then happened to land on the pillow as it covered its makeshift face.

(That's really sad for Sakuya to make something like that.)

(She must really be that injured, I guess it wouldn't hurt to apologize before getting what i need.)

(She most likely knows where some weights could be anyway, and she could tell me where they are.)

(If she doesn't kill me first. That's when I seriously need to apologize.)

I confirmed that thought with a gulp while I stood up, still holding my head.

In front of me, I saw the gates to the mansion wide open, the ends of the golden iron warped irregularly.

(What the?! The gates are busted open, what's going on?)

Immediately I saw a bright flash coming from some of the mansion's windows on the same level.

After a few minutes, they disappeared as I stopped holding my head, my headache dulling away.

(What is seriously going on?)

I also saw that the Mansion's doors were busted open as well, or rather...

(The doors are missing.)

I heard a voice in the distance behind me.

"ARE YOU OKAY?! SORRY! FIND YOUR WAY BACK WHEN YOU'RE DONE!" yelled Genji.

(Damn Elder Mutant Miko Turtle! Go fight a ninja or something!)

I sighed, before deciding to walk towards the entrance.

(At least it was my head that was only affected, if it happened to be my legs in front.)

I cringed while I walked.

(I never did have a broken bone, and I don't want to find out how it hurts.)

I walked into the mansion, a still coldness suddenly took to me, robbing me of my warmth and giving me goosebumps.

I see many maids on the ground, seemingly burnt.

(What's going on?! Why are they like this?)

Then all of the sudden, the library doors broke open as Patchouli, came flying out of there, hit the wall the opposite of the doors, and slid down.

(I'm guessing something is happening in the library.)

I looked at Patchy and saw her burnt from the back as I walked closer to her.

(I need to find out where China's room is, even though all she does is stay in the library.)

"Mukyu! Mukyu!" coughed Patchy.

Patchy was shaking violently, faintly opening her eyes.

"Mukyu! Please stop Maris...Mukyu!" coughed Patchy.

(That Mukyu used to be cute, now its just plain annoying.)

(In fact, she's making me think like a lolicon, even if she's older than me by a long shot. Damn you Patchy!)

[A/N: Lolicon is another term for Pedophile, just sounds more silly and nicer]

I rolled my eyes while i shook Patchy.

"I will in a second! Now please tell me where China's room is!" I begged.

Patchy opened her eyes really wide, then she closed them halfway while she continued to cough.

"Mukyu! I never heard anyone ask that before" said Patchy, surprised.

(Because she's a gatekeeper that is easily passable....even in the game?)

"On the left of you, there is a door.."

Patchy pointed to her right with her hand on the ground, not able to raise her arm, I looked at her direction and saw a red door.

(What exactly could have burnt her like this? She's at the point where she can't move her limbs.)

"Go up the stairs..Mukyu...and then you will see a hallway. At the end of the hallway is a door with weird charac...Mukyu-ters that even I cannot read. That will be her room" Patchy explained.

"Now call for help! Quickly! Mukyu! I hope she isn't out yet.." said Patchy, her voice fainting away.

(Wait, who? Who shouldn't be out yet?)

(Wait a second, Patchy is down, and the maids are down too. There seems to be a lot of destruction considering the smashed vases...uh oh..I don't want to stick around for the other part.)

(No time!)

I quickly ran outside as I took out the note from my pocket.

(Oh god, i have to yell this!? Well, for her sake..)

I quickly took a breath in and read from the note before yelling.

"SAKUYA-SAN! SAKUYA-SAN! CLEANING STOP! ROOM! CLEANING! STOP!" I yelled at the top of my lungs.

Then I quickly looked around me for any sign of a knife.

**Third POV**

Back at the Hakurei Shrine, the three girls were still drinking tea on the porch.

"Sakuya do you hear something?" asked Remilia, lightly clasping her teacup.

"I believe I do not, my lady Remilia" replied Sakuya.

"I do hope the mansion does not get destroyed" said Remilia. "I gave him something, he could have called for us."

"Don't worry, I don't think our mansion is going through any destruction what so ever!" happily replied Sakuya.

**Ken's POV**

(What? Remilia said they would come! Where are they?)

I continued to look around but saw nothing, not even in the sky, just blue with clouds.

(Sometimes Remilia, Charisma is a bad thing, don't let it DISTRACT YOU!!)

I facepalmed, exasperated, as I headed back in the mansion.

I looked at Patchy who seemed to be laying peacefully with her hands at her sides.

(Poor Patchy...but I tried. Now time to get down on the job.)

I quickly went to the door that was pointed out by Patchy earlier and immediately saw a flight of stairs, there was a scarlet rug covering the stairs with golden embroidery at the edges.

(Ok, let's go up then.)

I quickly climbed up, hoping to get to Meiling unscathed by whoever shouldn't be out.

I thought about who it was as I rushed up another flight.

(Ok, Who shouldn't be out in the SDM.....oh no! For the love of lolis, oh god no!)

(Flandre Scarlet! Hopefully the intruder, most likely Marisa, will distract her while I get what I need.)

(Hopefully her Lævateinn won't also cause the floor upstairs to crumble down.)

(....Damn Patchy for making me think like a lolicon again.)

I reached the end of the flight of stairs as I came to the beginning of the hallway.

The walls were scarlet as it matched the floor carpet, the only thing that clashes with this are the occasional brown doors on the wall and arches up on the ceiling.

The hallway seemed to be endless as i saw a red fog at the end, indicating it's very long.

(Can't Remilia think of any other color besides scarlet or any other red color.)

(Can't stop right now! I gotta get to Meiling's room before all hell breaks loose!)

I quickly ran through the hallway, making little thumps on the floor.

(I think this means I am over the library, considering how the floor resonates.)

I kept running and running as the fog doesn't seem to be disappearing.

My stamina seemed to have run out as I began panting more heavily and my legs seems to be weakening, with a troublesome pain accompying me.

(Crap....why doesn't my stomach hurt so much?)

(Do i really need a cramp at this point? I didn't even eat anything!)

I kept running now in fear of collapsing floors, holding my stomach with my hands.

(I do not want my first death to be by a crazy loli!)

I began to see the end, as I saw a door with decorations on it.

"Wahoo! Wanwerry Wrap!" declared an unknown voice, muffled.

(Well, I don't think Cranberry Trap can't destroy floors.)

I began to run at a slower pace to a jog, catching my breath as I got closer to the door.

(Wait a second, Patchy said weird characters, I see pictures of people.)

I rubbed my eyes with my hands as the pictures began to get more and more distinct.

As soon as i got close to the door, I stop and bent down as I saw the end of the scarlet rug, while catching my breath.

(Crap, that took a lot out of me.)

After about two minutes of catching my breath and blood rushing to my face.

I bent back up and looked at the pictures.

(Ok, let's see....Gentlemen's Alliance, Hetalia Axis Powers, School Days...wait a second..)

I quickly opened the door and saw a purple room with a small purple bed with books on it, and books on the floor in a messy state.

(This isn't Meiling's room. This is Patchy's room!)

(Where does she even get the yaoi...and a failed romance series?)

I facepalmed with a shocked expression as i closed the door.

(Man.....Patchy's an idiot.)

(Wait a second, she said end of the hallway...it doesn't always mean directly at the end, does that mean....)

I looked to my right and all i saw was a Remilia Scarlet bust in the hallway.

(She really can't get enough of herself can't she?)

Then i looked to my left and saw Cantonese characters on the door, with a sign that says, "WUSHU."

(This has to be Meiling's room, who else in Gensokyo knows what WUSHU is?)

I opened the door and looked inside.

There are pictures of every Martial Arts Movies you would see in the outside world.

(Woah, Iron Monkey, Fearless, Hero, House of Flying Daggers, Kung Fu Hustle, and even The Forbidden Kingdom?)

(I think Meiling may be the first person besides Yukari, to ever see a white person.)

I went inside and closed the door, quietly.

In the middle was the bed, with the words, "Qigong" on the blanket with red woodframe.

There was an unusual big hump in the middle of the blanket, and its shaking...

(Meiling?)

I tiptoed over to the bed, but then noticed the hump was kinda floppy as it seemed it was about to fall.

Then i noticed there were no pillows visible in this room as I looked around.

(...Why would you do something like that?)

"Meiling? Meiling?" I asked aloud.

I checked under the bed, but she wasn't there.

I smirked, as an idea came across my head.

(Well if you won't come out, I'll just have to call you how everyone else calls you.)

"Oh China!" I deliberately yelled.

My stomach doesn't seem to hurt anymore as the cramp is gone, then I heard some noises behind me.

There were two doors together behind me.

(Is she in the closet?)

I opened the doors and immediately i saw clothes.

I saw the same outfit China would wear everyday everywhere in this closet, with her white pants sprawled everywhere in the closet.

And yet, no sign of her.

(Where is she?!)

Then immediately, I was knocked into the closet by a kick on my back as the momentum was fortunately broken by the amount of clothes in this room.

It became really dark in the closet as the doors were shut by an unknown assailant.

I wasted no time and quickly got up and tried to open the doors...but to no avail as someone was blocking me from the outside.

"Who are you?! What are you doing in my Room?!" demanded an unknown yet familiar voice.

(That's Meiling's voice alright...)

"Someone who wants to apologize" I said.

(I still want the element of surprise on my side, if she were to found out directly, I might be locked in here forever.)

I banged on the doors in the dark closet, shaking off one of the white pants on my foot.

"LET ME OUT!" I demanded.

"WHY?!" asked Meiling.

"BECAUSE I SENT YOU TO YOUR ROOM FOR MORE THAN A FEW DAYS!" I answered loudly.

(Wow, she is really getting on my nerves.)

I leaned on the doors still banging but half-heartily.

"WHAT?!" yelled Meiling.

Then the doors opened suddenly as I fell on my back and met Meiling.

She looked really angry with tears while she appeared to be wearing....a green spandex?

(Of all the outfits, this is the weirdest.)

Meiling seemed to have opened her eyes really wide, a startled look on her face.

"Ken?" asked Meiling.

(As much as i want to slap you right now, i really need to stay calm right now.)

She jumped back, she braced herself and glanced bravely as I stood up.

"If you have come here to attack me again, then I will stand my ground!" roared Meiling.

(Okay, you can't possibly be that stupid.)

Anger boiled up in me, my hands were clenched to fists as I relaxed them.

"HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN WHAT I SAID?!" I yelled.

Meiling was still cocky, as she still held her defensive stance.

"AND WHAT DID YOU SAY?!" yelled Meiling.

"I said, ______________________________"

Apparently I think Flandre and Marisa drowned out my voice when i said it.

"Wahoo! Whore wuh ha Hind!" declared Flandre.

"Wuv Bind! Wahherr Hark!" declared Marisa.

I heard the whir of the master spark as Meiling became confused.

"WHAT?!" yelled Meiling.

(Grr~!)

An angry look appeared on my face as I let out some steam in my yell.

"I SAID I WANT TO APOLOGIZE TO YOU!" I yelled.

All of a sudden, everything was silent as i said those words, even the battle downstairs was now quiet. Meiling had a shocked look on her face relaxing but still tense.

"Wha wah hat, eh?!" asked Marisa.

"Hi Ho No! Wahoo He Ho Me He Ho Me!" declared Flandre.

(Good thing that can't break the floor either.)

I breathed in to calm myself down as my anger gone away.

Meiling looked surprised, she began to grow tears as she pointed at herself.

"Me?"


	23. Rise to Power Chapter 5

**Meiling's POV**

(He.....is apologizing to me?)

(I, Hong Meiling, have never heard an apology before, especially towards me.)

(All these days I never have received a "thank you" or a "I'm sorry" from anyone before, they just use me.)

(And here he is, treating me like a human? Even when I'm not one?)

(Is it a trap? Why else would he be here?)

"I am sorry, for uhhhh"

(What is he pausing for, please don't tell me he's doubting whether he should apologize or not.)

Ken paused and looked up, like he's trying to think what to say.

I wiped my tears with my hands as I attentively listened to him.

Ken clears his throat, while explosions continued to echo below us.

"I apologize for dishonorably beating you up in a very unfair match and almost mutilating you in spite of anger. Forgive me!" said Ken in a very loud voice.

Then Ken bowed parallel to the floor, I heard a bone crack, then he put his hands on his knees.

"Ow! That hurts, my back~" grimaced Ken, straightening his hack.

(He's even bowing to me!! and said that so beautifully!)

I began to cry again, but not for sadness, but for joy.

Tears run down my face as I went up to him and embraced him, hearing several more cracks, as a sense of joy and pride came through me.

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" I said, my voice breaking up.

(China would be PROUD of this accomplishment!)

"Wha?! Ow! Ow! My back! Can you stop hugging me? I still have bandages on me" said Ken, his voice faint.

I immediately let go while wiping off my tears, Ken had a surprised look on his face.

"Why are you thanking me? and crying?" asked Ken.

"I never got an apology before, and you're the first one to ever apologize to me...in such a formal way" I said.

"I forgive you. Just please, control yourself."

"So why were you "sick" for a few days? I thought youkai heal really fast when they are asleep" said Ken.

(What the....how does he know this?)

(Did Zhen Ji.....er...that witch tell him?)

I stood there with a surprised look while Ken relaxed and put his hands in his pockets.

"Sakuya and Remilia visited the shrine and told me, surprisingly they did not attack me" said Ken.d

(Oh them....why did you mention them?)

I balled my left hand into a fist and shook it at my side as Ken seemed to notice.

"Are you angry at them?" asked Ken.

(...Of course i am! They are the......)

I relaxed my hand and breathed in slowly then breathed out using one of the many exercises I learned.

"Of course I am, they always disrespect me. They keep calling me...China" I lamented.

"Well, earn back their respect then, give them a reason to call you Meiling" said Ken.

(What? How can you say such a thing...Cao Cao.....Ken?)

"And how exactly do you think I can do that?" I asked, doubtful in Ken's solution.

"Don't fall asleep on your job" said Ken, bluntly.

(....I do fall asleep many times on my job, but I just can't help it.)

"I can't help it! You would fall asleep too if all you did for a job is watering plants and just sit there on a stool!" I argued.

"Then what do you do that keeps you awake?" said Ken.

"Tending to the plants, Tai Chi, uh....." I stuttered.

(What is he getting at?)

"Then instead of sitting on the stool that causes you to sleep, pay more attention to the flowers and do Tai Chi more often" said Ken.

"I can't pay more attention to the flowers, I am the gatekeeper" I said. "I'm supposed to focus on defending, not watch flowers."

"Then do Tai Chi when you're about to fall asleep, so you can stay awake and not get a knife to your head" said Ken.

(What? How does he know that Sakuya does that?)

I twitched while he said those words, then I nodded back at him.

(I never really did think of it that way.)

"Is that so~? But how will I watch for intruders when I am doing Tai Chi" I asked.

"Umm~, okay. You know how you breath in with your nose and you smell many things right?" asked Ken.

(I do smell many things when I do Tai Chi, but what does that have to do with the problem?)

"Yes" I confirmed, while nodding.

(Where is he going with this?)

"Well, everyone has a particular smell, get used to a lot of smells outside. If you smell something foreign, stop and see who it is" explained Ken.

(Hmm, I have never thought of it that way. This sounds really effective.)

"Huh? The witch does always smell like mushrooms and Sakuya smells kinda fruity" I said

"There you go, turn your breath in Tai Chi into some warning system" said Ken, making a thumbs up.

(So he was willing to help us defeat the Witch when he himself introduced her to the place. Whose side is he on really?)

"Why are you willing to help us when you showed the SDM to that witch?" I asked, suspicious.

"Harho Hek!" declared Flandre below us, her voice muffled.

"Wuv Bind! On-Birahinal Lacer!" declared a muffled Marisa.

(Ohh, Patchy's attack. What is that witch doing with that?)

I stood with a confused look while I looked at Ken, who just shrugged his shoulders.

"Don't ask, Marisa does that a-lot. By the way, Don't you want your respect back?" asked Ken.

(That is true, how is it that I never thought of these things?)

"Also, how come this doesn't get Sakuya and Remilia over here when I say this message that they gave me to warn them?" asked Ken.

(Message?)

He gave me a note and it says, "Sakuya-san Sakuya-san! Cleaning Stop! ROOM! CLEANING! STOP!"

I frowned when I read this, remembering that I yelled this out loud before and I only got a knife in the head as a response.

I slapped Ken in the face, leaving a red mark on his right cheek.

"Hey what was that for?" yelled Ken.

"You do know I was the one who said this in the first place right?" I said, irritated.

"Huh?" said Ken, confused.

"I think Lady Remilia is trying to kill you by irritating Sakuya with this. Don't forget that she acts below her age!" I warned.

"Ooo~, my bad. I did see something evil in that charismatic smile" remarked Ken.

He looked down, then he looked back up quickly with a confused look.

"By the way, why are you wearing a green spandex?" asked Ken.

(By my one billion Chinese countrymen, i have never heard of such a thing.)

"What's that? This?" I replied.

I tugged at what I was wearing right now, and Ken nodded, looking fairly disgusted.

It all comes back to the point where Patchy showed me a bowl-cut black haired person who takes great enthusiasm in his training.

(I thought wearing clothes like him will increase my mobility as he was very fast and did something what Ken did called a Lotus.)

(Wait how does Ken know how to do that? He probably doesn't remember.)

(Still, he managed to do it to me. But was it his anger that pushed him?)

I observed and looked at Ken, who was heavily bandaged from hip to even his head as his eyes, black hair, and mouth were the only things that weren't covered.

He was wearing only a strange sort of short pants as there was also bandages on his legs and knees, he wasn't wearing a shirt at all.

"Meiling, where's my reason?" asked Ken.

(Oh yes, I have to tell him.)

"Because I believed it would help me get better. After you have beaten me, I realized that I need to improve if I want to keep out people like you!" I said.

Ken seems to be taken aback by this statement.

"I told Sakuya to get me this if she can, and she did surprisingly bring it to me. I was about to forget about it, when she threw it at my face" I continued.

"She also threw a knife at my head, she said that she had to go into some other world with the help of Patchy and some weird portal spell."

"Then she had to encounter people with headbands doing weird hand and finger poses where they could have killed her if she couldn't stop time."

"Then she got tired of finding a tailor and found the same black bowl-cut hair guy who put up a big fist fight doing leaf-related attacks and stuff."

"Sakuya almost got killed when that guy grabbed her behind, however, he grabbed her boobs instead. Perverted people sometimes."

"Then she went mad. She killed him with knives all over him and literally took off his clothes to give them to me."

"Luckily, a gap opened just in time by Patchy as she jumped in, although very bloodied. It's not like her to go through such lengths for me. This is what she told about her adventure."

"No matter, i gotten the final training piece, now i can finally train to get seriously more better for CHINA!"

I smiled and posed like I was basking in sunlight, a very charismatic pose with my hands at my hips, my right leg forward and my head high...my chest stretched.

Ken immediately started laughing for some reason.

I immediately got out of my pose as I grabbed Ken by the neck, his laughter still going strong.

"What's so funny? I'm not laughing" said Meiling.

"God you're tense, you need to stop wearing that spandex. Your nipples were showing, and that guy sounds really familiar" said Ken.

I looked down as I could see the nipples poking at the spandex, making it easily noticeable.

Then i immediately let go as Ken continued to laugh while i cover myself up with my arms.

(I hope he doesn't know I'm not wearing anything underneath. Even Sakuya knew it was a bad idea to get this.)

"Oh yes, the real reason that i came here" said Ken, changing the subject.

I immediately became disheartened after hearing those words.

(I wish he would have come here just to apologize to me, but he's still here.)

"Wonter lok!" declared Flandre.

"Bar Hust Reweary!" declared Marisa.

(Those noises are getting distracting.)

I sighed, while Ken cleared his throat.

"Do you have any weights?" asked Ken.

(As a matter of fact, I do have weights in this room, but why?)

"Yes they are in this room" I answered.

Ken immediately began to look around as he peered past me and looked behind, wincing at pain from turning around.

"Where are they?" Ken asked.

He said those words while looking down trying to look for said weights.

"Why?" I asked

Ken stopped while he began to look directly at me, his eyes contacting mine for the first time in this conversation.

"I need them to train, If I need to overcome this headache, then I best get it over with by flying with them on" explained Ken.

(What? He can't fly? What happened?)

"You were able to fly when you fought me, you were also very fast" I remarked, remembering the fight we had.

Ken shook his head as he breathed in deeply.

"I lost them. Let's just say, Patchy made me lose my powers.

(Even if all that Patchy does is read in her books and not caring about her health, She just prevented one very dangerous human from killing us all. Is he human?)

"Are you human...or are you youkai?" I asked, curious.

"I am a human, I think if I was a youkai, I wouldn't have these bandages on" said Ken.

(That is true, we Youkai heal quick in our sleep, I thought he was one too, but he has bandages and he lost his powers.)

"If so, are you willing to pay me back if i let you use them?" I asked.

"Anne When Will Where We Non?" declared Flandre.

"Wha Ar Yu, we!" exclaimed Marisa.

Ken stood there for a while as he looked at the ceiling, continuously tapping his foot, and scratching his chin.

"Err~, If I can get your help, we could get them to stop fighting down there?" replied Ken.

I immediately became scared as soon as Ken finished that sentence, however he began to instill confidence in me slowly.

"It may seem like a really bad idea, especially with Flandre out, but I'm sure if she sees you, she will stop this" said Ken.

(And what makes you think you won't be broken by her?)

"Flandre is dangerous! Why would you want to get near her? And how do you even know her?" I asked aloud in anger.

"Remilia told me, and by as of right now, her spell card should be up soon, therefore she would only have one more left before she's spent" Ken explained.

"BUT!! We have to rush down there as soon as she is done with the last spell card, otherwise Flandre might get the temptation to _Break_ her"

"What about yourself?! And how am I in this all of a sudden?!" I asked, irritated.

"That's why i need you too, to get her to stop just in case. so that the shrine maiden doesn't come down HARD on us."

(Oh.....no wonder..)

"Well, where are the weights?" I asked.

I walked behind Ken while I opened the doors to the closet. I hung up my upper body wear and left my pants down on the ground as it grew into a disheveled heap of pants and underwear.

Then in the heap, I shoved off the clothes to reveal a big brown box as i put my knees to the ground.

I lifted the box, not struggling at all from the massive weight it carried, as I stood up and turned around to face Ken and walked over to him.

(Heh, I'm not even breaking a sweat, like I used to when carrying this box.)

Then Ken held out his hands while I dropped the box onto his arm

Ken immediately went down as Ken descended to the ground very quickly, his arms hit the ground first as he struggled to get them out under the weight of the weights.

"AYEE~! What the hell?! Why is it this heavy?" Ken screamed.

I giggled at his girlish scream as he kept struggling until his arms became free.

Ken looked at his arms to make sure everything was okay.

"Hopefully no bones are broken" said Ken.

He opened the box to see what was in there.

He found out that there were black wrist weights, ankle weights, forearm weights, weighted vests, and even weighted leather gloves.

"Do I have to wear the entire set?" asked Ken, timidly.

"You won't be able to overcome your challenges if you don't push yourself" I said while nodding.

I heard Ken mutter something but I couldn't quite follow what he was saying.

"Wait a second! If you're a youkai, why do you have this if all youkai have such naturally brutish strength?" asked Ken.

"Just because Youkai have brute strength doesn't mean we could move our arms fast and fluidly enough!" I replied fiercely.

(A fast punch deals more damage than a slow one)

Ken immediately went silent after that while he picked up the pieces, but he doesn't seem to know how to put them on, becoming confused.

"Umm~, can I have help in putting this on?" asked Ken, lifting up the pieces with his hand.

I nodded once again and proceeded to help Ken put them on.

He winced from pain many times as the weights pushed against his body.

As soon as we put them on, I took some steps back and giggled as Ken struggled to move.

"I don't think i can move at all" said Ken, struggling to lift his arms above his shoulders, to no avail.

"Deal with it, it's resistance!" I said.

"Can i still fly?" asked Ken.

He appeared to only fly up two feet as he seemed to struggle.

"This....ARGH~!" grunted Ken.

He tried putting his hand to his head, but he couldn't even lift it above his shoulders.

I laughed even more as Ken seemed to not like what he was going through, and gave me an angry glance.

"I'm sorry!! I'm not a damn youkai!" yelled Ken.

".Be Wapples of four-hunwred winety-wive W-eirds" declared Flandre.

"Oh I give up, this is too much....What the?!"

It appears that Ken descended with so much force that he broke through the floor, and landed in the library along with some wood, hitting his head. He made a small crater on the floor with noticeable cracks.

"OWW~! FUCK~!" Ken cursed.

"Who are you?!" demanded Flandre.

"EEK~!" Marisa shrieked.

Luckily it appears they canceled their danmaku, along with their voices clear and concise, as the sudden entrance of Ken surprised them.

I kneel down and cupped my mouth while looking at Ken through the recently made hole.

"Are you okay, Cao Cao.....er...Ken?!" I asked, getting his name wrong.

"Just Peachy!" yelled Ken, while groaning.

"Ken?! What are you doing here?!" asked Marisa.

"You're FAT!" yelled Flandre.


	24. Rise to Power Chapter 6

**Ken's POV**  
(Augh~, my head. I don't know what hurts more: the headache or my ass.)

I attempted to rub my ass as much as I can but I could not lift my limbs up due to the weight I garnered.

Some of the wood from the ceiling landed on top of me while I made a crater in the library, putting me in an even more immobile situation.

(I don't think Remilia is going to be happy when she sees this.)

I couldn't even stand up while the black weights and the wood held me down.

(This is way too heavy.)

"Meiling! Do you have any other weights?" I yelled, towards the hole Meiling was peeking in through.

Meiling was positively shocked, and shook her head.

"No! Sorry!" yelled back Meiling.

"Get down here! I need help! Man down!" I yelled.

Meiling nodded before she lifted her head out of the hole and made noticeable footsteps upstairs.

Meanwhile, I was still stuck in the ground between a devil and a witch.

"You're Fat!" yelled Flandre.

I twitched as soon as I heard that from Flandre.

Flandre has the vampire's scarlet eyes and blond hair. She is wearing a red dress and vest, with a pink shirt underneath. She is also wearing a pink mop hat with red ribbon attached. Her wings appear to be made of iron and prism shards. She is carrying a matching metal wand with her behind her back, which should be the mythical Lævateinn. Arranged from her back to the tip of her wings are her 8 crystals presented as follows: Light Blue, Blue, Purple, Pink, Orange, Yellow, Green and Light Blue again.

(Oh I am fat huh? You don't get out much, DO YOU!?)

"I'm not fat, can't you see these things on me? I am obviously encumbered" I argued.

(Obviously.)

"Encumb~..what? But you can't move....So you're FAT!" replied Flandre, emphasizing the last word.

(Do you really need to insist on that? She really does need to get out more.)

(God, where is Meiling? It's not fun being stuck in a crater like this.)

(Agh~, I'll get Marisa, at least she will help me up.)

"Marisa? Can you help me get up?" I asked.

That was when i turned my head and saw Marisa running out immediately with a large brown bag filled to the brim. Some books fell out on the way...

(What are you doing?!)

"Marisa~!" I yelled.

"Sorry! Get out yourself! These books come first!" yelled Marisa.

Then she got on her broom and zoomed out of here through the main entrance.

(What?!)

(You really just abandoned me in favor of those books?)

(Marisa, you were lonely. Now you don't care?!)

(Does it look like i can get out?! And you are leaving me with the devil?!)

(You bitch.)

(You greedy thief!!)

"MARISA~!" I yelled at the top of my lungs.

But she did not come back as anger bubbled up inside me, and my hands balled into fists.

(SHE FUCKING LEFT ME WHILE I AM HELPLESS!)

I shook my fist at the entrance then banged it on the ground in anger while Meiling made it downstairs and entered the library.

"Ugh~, Help me up. That Bitch!" I cursed.

"Meiling!" exclaimed Flandre.

Flandre outstretched her arms ignoring my remark, awaiting a hug.

But Meiling ignored her while she continued to run towards me in a green spandex.

(Her boobs are making really noticeable marks. Why do I even care?)

My anger began to be replaced with anguish, giving me a heartache.

Meiling got to me while she lifted me up effortlessly.

"You're really heavy, but you're still easy to lift up" remarked Meiling while brushing the dust off me.

I stood standing on the ground while Flandre ran towards Meiling and jumped on her, hugging her as Meiling spun her around.

If it weren't for gravity now pulling me down harder thanks to these weights, i would have fallen again thanks to Flandre's wings that whipped me in the back.

Meiling continued to swung the vampire round and round while Flandre laughed.

"I missed you after 495 years! I was really lonely in my room. All my toys are broken" remarked Flandre, lamenting her life.

"Ooo~, and I missed you too Lady Flandre, you're grown up a lot.

Meiling sat her down to the ground and patted her hair while Flandre was beaming, scratching her nose.

"So, who's this fat person?!" asked Flandre. "And why does he look so sad?"

I stood on the ground, my face scrunched up in sorrow.

(Why do you keep calling me fat? That doesn't matter anymore...)

"His name is Ken, Flanny, and he's not fat. Don't say that to people! He's wearing those things that make him really heavy, but then he will be really fast when he takes them off in the future. And I don't know Flanny, something happened to him" explained Meiling.

"Wow?! Really?" exclaimed Flandre, ignoring the other question that Meiling answered.

I began to walk towards the entrance slowly with a lot of difficulty as the weights made it a lot of trouble for me to move my muscles.

Soon, there was only a tiny bit of anger left in me while depression took over.

I was reduced to a shuffle as I quickly gotten tired.

I had gotten out of the library recently, walking towards the main entrance.

"Where are you going?!" yelled Meiling and Flandre.

(Somewhere to think it out...to feel better...)

"Come back now!!! Or else!! I want to play with you!" said Flandre.

(I don't care...)

"Uuu~, That's it! I'm going to make you!" threatened Flandre.

"No, Flandre! Don't use your power! I think, he needs some time to himself for now" said Meiling, stopping Flandre.

"Aww~. But..."

"Come on Flandre. Umm~, let's help these people on the ground to their rooms, then I'll help you fix your toys" said Meiling, comforting her.

"Okay Meiling, Yay!" Flandre exclaimed.

"Now let's start with Koakuma laying next to that fallen bookcase with the pool of blood" said Meiling, cheerfully.

(Go ahead....have fun...I'm just going to sit somewhere and just....)

**Meiling's POV**

Two Hours Later....

(It was so hard for me to send Flandre back to the basement alone again after only so many hours outside.)

(But it's for the better, even if it crushes her heart.)

(Sakuya and Lady Remilia have not returned, did they go to that Shrine again?)

(Where is Ken?)

I changed back to the clothes I usually wore while i am doing my job as I walked outside the mansion, careful not to step on any pools of blood.

"Ken?! Ken!" I yelled, looking for him.

He was nowhere in the garden, no flowers were out of place or crushed.

(Did he already try to go home? He did fulfill his goal, but for him to go in such a....)

(What was going on between him and that witch?)

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, breathing deeply.

I imagined my energy going out of my head spreading out all around the mansion in a fog, I inhaled.

I checked the area around me for any unusual smells and bumps in the area, remembering the surroundings of the mansion, then I exhaled.

"She's so..."

I opened my eyes and stopped taking in deep breathes, my concentration broken, locating the source of that voice.

(Is he outside the walls? That's Ken's voice.)

I walked to the gate and looked around, seeing Ken just sitting in a fetal position with his arms wrapped around his legs.

He looked as if he were struggling while he stretched out his legs more to rest his arms on them.

(He's not even bothering to take them off, what's going on?)

I noticed tears streaking from his eyes, damping the bandages on his face and chest.

He seemed like that he was there for a long time, daydreaming and crying at the same time.

"Ken? What's wrong?" asked Meiling.

Ken began to breath in and out fast.

"Marisa...She's so.." said Ken, a sudden sadness in his voice.

He continued breathing in and out while he stopped there.

"What? She's so what?!" I asked.

(Come on...I really want to know!!)

Ken just continued to sit there, not answering me while giving off a very sad mood.

"Okay. If you want to talk, I'll be right here, you don't have to right now" I said, not trying to burden Ken.

Then I sat down on the stool that Ken was sitting next to.

That was when I noticed some things that were broken.

I saw my hat on a pillow with some broken off sticks with my clothes, mittens, and part of a mop that got broken off.

(So this is where my hat was, Where did all this come from?)

(Ooo~, such a cute face on the pillows!)

I took the hat from the pillow as I put it on my head.

(I feel complete now.)

The star on my hat gleamed from the sunlight.

(Ken, Did you do all this? Or?)

(Well, didn't they try to replace me with a makeshift gatekeeper?)

(The fact they based it off of me and hadn't even fired me made me even more confused.

I looked at Ken, whose hands were on each others elbows while he continued to stare at the ground, like a lifeless doll.

The only thing that distinguished him from being dead are his tears, now even his bandages are dripping water.

(Ken, I worry for you. You looked eager with getting your weights, now you don't feel like losing them because of a person.)

I began to sit on the stool, alarmingly looking for anything that could be a threat.

(I'm sorry Ken, but my job goes first.)

It soon became sunset as I saw two very faint figures in the air, one of them is holding an umbrella over a person.

(Ah, Lady Remilia and Sakuya are back.)

I looked over at Ken, who continued looking down at the ground with his back slightly hunched over while his legs were stretched on the floor, continuing to be somewhat lifeless.

"Meiling?" breathed Ken.

(He finally talked, maybe he wants to talk about it now!)

I looked at him while he was looking at me, his eyes were now red as he stopped crying, but his bandages still dripped. His black hair was more messier than ever.

"Yes Ken?" I replied.

"Can you unwrap my bandages on my face, I don't feel any pain on my face anymore" said Ken.

(Oh, he still doesn't want to talk about it.)

"Of course" I said.

He already had his back hunched so I went ahead and got behind him, he's not even moving but he just hunched his back a little more.

I looked for a place where the bandage had been put to secure it by sweeping my hand on his head.

(Ah ha there it is, one small victory for CHINA!)

It was behind his right ear as I grabbed the ends and pulled them off.

It made a ripping sound as it would have stung anyone, but not Ken, who didn't even respond at all as I ripped off the bandages.

"Thank you" said Ken.

His voice was a bit hoarse while I got back to my stool, still seeing Ken sitting there with his back hunched over, his face exposed was now red all over.

"You know? It's not going to be good for you if you keep hunching over like that" I said.

Ken didn't even listen while he continued to look at the ground, but he did straighten his back a little bit, however his arms still lay lifeless on his legs.

I smiled a little bit, a little bit happy that he is one of the few who listens to me.

Then Sakuya and Remilia touched down on the ground suddenly.

(Oh, them again.)

Sakuya had a very concerned look on her face while she looked at Ken on her right, while Remilia continued to look also but she doesn't show any sign of remorse.

"China, I see you are back to your job, good. Sakuya, clean this up" ordered Remilia.

All of a sudden, the remnants of my replacement was as good as gone while Sakuya only shifted in her position to the left of Ken.

"Yes, Mistress" said Sakuya.

(You don't have to show off.)

"Why is he still here, and crying too?" asked Sakuya.

(For your sake too, I hope Remilia doesn't get any ideas.)

"Something happened between him and the witch, he really doesn't want to talk about it" I said.

"He doesn't? Well uhh~, if something indeed happen to him, then its not our business" said Sakuya.

I swear I saw Sakuya smile and blush at the same time for a second before reverting back into a cold stare.

(Eh? What's going on?)

"It's doesn't matter right now, he did not call for us when danger presented itself in the mansion. Or did he?" said Remilia.

"I heard a voice in the distance calling my name two times, but you immediately dismissed it as nonsense" said Sakuya.

"I'm sure it was a voice in the forest and your imagination Sakuya. If Ken wants to stay here, he may. Make sure he does not break anything" said Remilia.

"Lady Remilia, in his state right now, I don't think he wants to go anywhere at all" said Meiling.

I looked over at Ken who was still wearing his weights but still stared at the ground, dripping away tears.

"Oh? If you know so much about him, then enlighten me about what happened here while I was gone" said Remilia, being cocky.

"He came over here to borrow weights, but then that witch left him with Flandre, making him sad in the crater he left when he crashed through my room's floor with the weights. If I did not come to his help, he would have been done for. I think all that witch cared about was the books when I saw some on the floor. He later just went out and sat in the same spot he is in right now for many hours, he just stared at the ground, crying" I explained.

Sakuya, with a smile upside down with a hint of sadness and blush, immediately got down to his level and put her hand on Ken's shoulder, who didn't respond at all.

"Ken?" asked Sakuya, trying to get his attention.

However Remilia did not looked pleased at all, and balled her right hand into a fist.

"The boy did WHAT?!" raged Remilia.

I immediately became scared at her tone of voice while she looked at me with a very angry face, then glared at Ken, who doesn't seem to be listening at all.

"You broke something in my mansion, breaking the rules in our agreement. Therefore..."

Remilia formed red energy in her hand as dust kicked up before her, then formed a big red spear as she began to lift it up like a javelin towards Ken.

Sakuya looked up and became terrified at her mistress.

"You will pay for the damages with your life. Sakuya, get out of the way! Spear the Gung..."

"NO! My lady Remilia! Stop! By what Chin, err..what Meiling said, he has already gone through enough damage. Can't you see?!" shrieked Sakuya

I instantly smiled at that remark.

(She corrected herself! I guess I am gaining respect after all.)

However that did not last long, as Ken seems to be in a bad situation.

Remilia still stayed in the threatening pose, spear in hand, her eyes glowed red.

"Sakuya, you dare defy me?! I took you in when you bashed in here in the first place! Now you dare protect someone you don't know over your Mistress!" yelled Remilia, in her rage.

Sakuya stood in the way, making her Mistress even more irritated at her defying her orders.

"My lady Remilia, please. Think this through" said Sakuya, her voice began to crack.

(I wanna help too! I can't just stand by and watch the person who helped me in so many ways get killed!)

"Plus Mistress, Flandre was out, but Ken stopped the destruction from the fight between Flandre and the witch!" I said, trying to help Sakuya.

Remilia still stood in the pose, angered and provoked, but then stopped, as she relaxed and the spear dissipated.

"Sakuya, You know I can't kill you, you are my prized maid. But since you seemed to care for this human so much, you will keep an eye over him. Understand?!" said Remilia.

Sakuya grew a smile, then she bowed.

(Well, that's rare, she never treats me like that, or openly defied her mistress like that. Why is Sakuya defending Ken so suddenly like that?)

"Thank you, Lady Remilia" said Sakuya.

(Wait a second, if Sakuya is over there, who's holding the umbrella over Remilia?)

Then I looked at Remilia, whose hat seemed to be burning.

"Remilia, your hat!" I shrieked.

Remilia felt her hat, her hand began burning too in the sunlight, a small flame grew on top of the hat.

"WAH~! Sakuya!" wailed Remilia, desperately trying to crush the flame on her hat with her hands.

Sakuya already had a nosebleed when I exclaimed Remilia's hat, then she quickly swiped up the umbrella she dropped and held it over Remilia, who is sighing in relief.

"Now then, Sakuya, take me inside and serve me tea. Clean up the destruction caused by that witch" said Remilia, trying to gain back some of her pride.

"Yes My Lady Remilia" obeyed Sakuya.

They walked into the mansion together as they went into the doorway, not without hearing some slurping noises as Remilia was at the ground just licking up the blood.

(Why am i serving HER again?)

I looked at Ken, who was still in the same position, but he wasn't crying anymore. He sat up straight but his face was still locked to staring at the ground.

(Ken, look what she did for you.)

I immediately bonked his head with my fist, while he gave no response.

"You may be sad and all, but you can't even thank her? She just saved your life... I..I..I" I yelled, stuttering at the end.

(Your heart may be gone, but can't you find even one piece of it?)

I continued to sit and stay in watch as the gatekeeper, sitting on the stool.

It was night, this was the time to stop my job and for me to turn in.

Ken was back in the fetal position as he grabbed his elbows with his hands again.

"Ken, my job is over for today, shouldn't you come inside?" I asked.

Ken merely just stayed in the same position with no response.

(That witch really did affect you really badly, no wonder you are so jaded right now.)

(I guess if you want to stay out here, it's fine.)

"Meiling, you may go inside and sleep" said a familiar voice right next to my ear.

(Woah! Sakuya?! She came out of nowhere. She doesn't usually come here to tell me that.)

"Sakuya? What are you doing here?" I asked.

Sakuya was still in her maid's outfit, but she took off the aprons so she looks like she's wearing a dress.

"Lady Remilia says i need to check on Ken once in a while, so I am doing so right now before turning in. You may go now, China" said Sakuya.

(And she still does it!)

I slightly got irritated but relaxed, remembering that it was a habit for her, so I walked to the mansion.

(Why do i get the feeling that Sakuya likes Ken?)

**Third POV**  
Sakuya stood there waiting for Meiling to walk into the mansion until Meiling isn't in sight.

She nodded slowly, knowing everyone would be asleep at this hour, even the nocturnal vampires.

She blushed while she looked at Ken, twiddling her fingers.

"Ken..." said Sakuya quietly.

"Sakuya?" asked Ken.

At this moment, Sakuya instantly paid attention to him, beginning to blush even more.

"Y-Yes?" said Sakuya.

"Can.....you...get me a pillow please?" asked Ken, his voice hoarse.

Sakuya began to be worried, knowing Ken's voice was very hoarse. She wasted no time by stopping time, walked into the mansion, got a pillow from Remilia's room, then came back

Then she started up time again, while Sakuya smiled warmly.

"Here you go" said Sakuya.

Sakuya sat the pillow before Ken. Ken slowly reached and grabbed it with his hands, his butt reaching off the ground, then he laid on his back

He twisted his side in the same position on the ground right next to Sakuya's feet, who immediately grew pink on her face and stepped back.

He laid his head on the ground while he outstretched his legs and hugged the pillow tightly to his chest..

"T-T-hank you Sa-Kuya" said Ken, shivering.

Sakuya smiled while she still stood there, seeing as Ken smiled meekly before closing his eyes.

"You are welcome. Anything else?" asked Sakuya.

Ken didn't answer, as he already was sleeping on the ground, while hugging the pillow.

Sakuya giggled quietly, she bent down and reached out her hand, about to touch Ken's hair.

"..Just...one...brush..."

Sakuya was flustered, she was holding her breath.

Then she pulled back immediately while she straightened her back.

"He's.....I wish i was..."

She walked back to the mansion, smiling as she made someone happy.


	25. Rise to Power Chapter 7

**Reimu's POV**

"Uuu~, morning already?" said Reimu.

I woke up and sat up in my futon only wearing a sarashi and [insert japanese underwear].

Sunlight illuminates the opaque sliding doors as I rubbed my eyes groggily.

(Where's that Ken? He hasn't returned.)

(Should i send Genji back to him? If I ever see him again.)

I grew irritated since both were gone ever since Ken and Genji went on their way to the SDM.

(Hopefully, Remilia isn't trying to kill Ken, and I really hope Cirno didn't freeze the turtle.)

I sighed while I got up from the futon and lazily walked over to the water barrel with my eyes still half open and washed my face.

Then suddenly, I heard knocking on the sliding door behind me...

(I just woke up....why does there have to be visitors now?)

I sighed as I walked over to the sliding door which had a big shadow now on it, then i opened it.

(Oh, It's Marisa.)

It was Marisa, although she wasn't wearing her hat, she was wearing her usual blouse and carrying her broom. She had a happy expression on her face.

"Marisa? You're early at this hour" I remarked.

"Yeah, ze. Is Ken here? I want to tell him something" asked Marisa.

I rolled my eyes as I walked back towards the water barrel.

(Ever since he came into play, all you cared about is Ken. Let's see how you like the news that Ken isn't here.)

"No he isn't here. Yesterday he went to the SDM, weren't you there too? He still hasn't come back. Why didn't you take him back?" I asked.

"Because i was carrying books, ze! If I carried Ken with me too, he would have been too heavy especially with what he was wearing" replied Marisa.

(So he did found his weights, good.)

"So you just left him there? Why?" I asked.

(Strange, if you care for him that much, shouldn't you do anything to help him?)

"Can't he fly? He doesn't need me, besides, I already had books with me. And I got tired from the fight I had with Flandre. Luckily, Ken stopped both our spell cards when he crashed through the ceiling. This gave me enough time to get more books, put them in a bag, and get out before anyone else discovers!" explained Marisa.

She did a thumbs up and smiled, proud of her own cunning.

(Marisa, even you would know Ken had trouble flying.)

(Wasn't Flandre Remilia's sister? oh NO!)

I quickly turned around and glared at Marisa angrily, who seemed to falter in her smile while she lowered her thumbs up.

"You idiot, you abandoned him while he was near Flandre? How could you be so stupid? Even you know he couldn't have fled out of there" I said.

"B-But i already made her tired, she can't have possibly done anything to Ken" said Marisa.

"But according to Remilia, Flandre would still have the ability to hurt Ken. All she have to do is find the head and it can go explode. Don't you see Marisa? Because of you ignoring him, You indirectly KILLED him! YES, HE COULD BE DEAD RIGHT NOW!" I yelled.

Marisa immediately turned saddened as she dropped her broom, making a loud clang-a-clang.

"What?! He can't be....Ken you better be......Uuu~!"

Marisa grabbed her broom as she ran out of the shrine then mounted her broom, flying straight to the SDM very fast.

I just stood there while I went outside the shrine and took in some fresh air.

(That certainly wasn't the response i actually expected.)

**Meiling's POV**

"Uwah~, that was a weird dream" I said while yawning.

I stretched out my arms and legs and looked out the window.

It had a beautiful view of the misty lake and the forest, even if the forest had a noticeable gap of trees.

I got off the bed as I smacked my lips and looked down lazily. I was wearing the "green spandex" as my sleeping clothes.

(Oh yes, time to say hi to them again!)

I looked at the posters on the wall beside my bed and bowed to each one of them.

"Ohayo, Wong Kei-Ying and Wong Fei-Hung. Ohayo, Huo Yuanjia. Ohayo, Nameless, Flying Snow, Broken Sword, and Sky. Ohayo, Jin, Mei, and Leo. Ohayo, Sing. Ohayo, Jason, Silent Monk, and Lu Yan" I greeted.

After respectively bowing to them, I changed my spandex to my regular clothes and walked out the door.

(Never...was I eager to do my job!)

I walked through the hallway then I went down the flight of stairs lazily.

As I stopped descending, the mansion's doors were already open.

(Hmm, must be Sakuya checking on Ken.)

I walked through the open doors and immediately felt the sun shining on me, as it was high in the air.

(Hmm~, must be noon. I woke up late.)

(Eh, the gates are open too? Sakuya doesn't need to open them to check on Ken.)

Then I heard voices next to the gate.

"Ken, please talk to me" begged an unknown voice.

"Go away. I don't want to talk to you" coldly replied Ken.

"Uuu~, Ken, please. I'm sorry about leaving you behind" apologized the voice.

"You left me behind with _her_, over those damn books" said Ken.

"Ken"

I walked over to the gate to see the witch sitting down at Ken's level, she began to tear up as she reached out her hand to Ken's face. Ken shoved it away harshly.

Sakuya was next to them, looking down at them.

"Don't touch me while I'm still sad! You selfish witch!" yelled Ken.

(Ken.......)

Marisa touched her hand that was shoved away and began to look at Ken with tears.

Ken slowly stood up while he was having trouble with the weights, his knees buckling. Marisa looked up to him, and Ken looked away to the sky in response.

"It's just, what you did was really cruel. I don't wanna talk to you for a while, because it seems to me the only thing you love are books" said Ken.

(I have never seen anyone this cruel besides Sakuya.)

Marisa looked down, her tears dripping down on the ground slowly becoming dark and damp while she made little crying noises with gasps of breathes, as she just took in the coldness of Ken's words.

Then she grabbed her broom that was next to her as she stood up too and looked at Ken.

"But, I don't love. I can't..." stuttered Marisa.

Sakuya looked at Marisa with a cold stare as if she was judging her.

"Marisa, leave him alone. You caused him enough pain, now if you please" Sakuya lightly demanded.

(Sakuya, I never seen you care for this human this much.)

Marisa looked down at the ground, her tears still dripping, while ignoring Sakuya's words.

"Ken, Please! There must be something i can bor--do!" begged Marisa.

Sakuya instantly frowned about that statement then returned back to her cold stare.

"Just leave me alone" said Ken.

Ken inhaled, then exhaled deeply while still looking at the sky.

Marisa, still tearing away with gasps of breathes, just slowly turned around, then walked towards the forest slowly.

She stopped when she was about to enter the forest, looking back at Ken, who had his back turned towards Marisa, facing the wall. Marisa slightly narrowed her eyes even more, crying even more as she walked away.

Sakuya sighed, then quickly smiled before returning to look at Ken.

(You're smiling at this?)

"She's gone" said Sakuya. "Such a troublesome witch."

"Ken, Are you going to be okay?" I asked.

"I think so, but still, I need something to get away from this. I don't want to think about relationships for a while" said Ken.

(So you were in love with Marisa.)

Sakuya immediately began to look shocked as she quickly ran towards the mansion.

"Oh no, I must quickly prepare tea for the mistress, I'll get you and China some breakfast...bye Ken!" yelled Sakuya before entering the mansion.

I quickly became irritated when Sakuya mentioned China, but then I brushed it off quickly.

(So at this point, Ken is no longer jaded but he's still emotionally hurt, so I guess he needs to do his training.)

"Ken, how about training? You still have those weights on, are you used to them?" I asked.

Ken tried moving around normally, having difficulty walking and moving his arms but he showed more mobility than last time.

"Well, I can't really move around like i could without these weights. But I sorta of did got used to them" analyzed Ken.

(Well that's good, training is going to be rigorous.)

I smiled at Ken, who began to be scared of my smile when he looked at me.

"W-What are you smiling for?" timidly asked Ken.

"We are going to train, and boy am I going to drill you hard! How else are we going to keep your mind off of Marisa?" I stated.

I smiled at Ken even more while he began to sweat.

Ken gulped, as he looked down on his malnourished frame, then he nodded.

(This is going to be very long and hard on him.)

"Now, let's see if you can fly high" I said, observing Ken's motions.

Ken immediately began to close his eyes, then he just hovered in the air, barely only two feet.

(That's just pathetic...even with the weights!!!)

Ken reached for his head with his arm but couldn't because of the weights.

"ARGH~! my head hurts!" Ken groaned.

"What's that?! Go higher and as high as you can!" I yelled, getting impatient at Ken's lack of effort.

Ken struggled to control his altitude but rose up in the air, to about the height of the SDM's clock tower.

"Now move forward!" I barked.

Ken moved very slowly but made it from the gate to the SDM's edge.

(Come on...Go faster you weakling!)

"Now go back to where you were in half the time!"

"WHAT THE HELL?!" yelled Ken.

But Ken followed my orders anyway and went faster, he made it in more than half the time, then he fell.

"Ahh~!" yelled Ken. "Save me~!"

BAM!

He landed with his face flat on the ground with his limbs outstretched.

"Ow! What the hell Meiling!? This is unbearable!" growled Ken.

I walked over to him, casting a dark shadow over him as he looked up at me, scared and angry.

"You will remember the pain of falling. You will remember it again and AGAIN! This will be your motivation not to fall, so don't fail so easily next time!" I barked.

Ken reacted in shock to my words as he grimaced at his pain, slowly getting up, then standing still, while holding his stomach.

"You're much more cruel than I thought" lamented Ken.

"That's because I didn't know you were really a weakling even when you have beat me up that time. I will train with you too. Let's just say, this is payback" I said, making an evil smile.

**Ken's POV**

(Wow....Payback's a bitch)

(Even if the so-called bitch is China who is trying to help me by making me rigorously train.)

(But surprisingly, training is making it less sadder and sadder about me and Marisa, in a very painful way.)

I looked over at Meiling who seems to be sadistically smiling, while cracking her knuckles.

(Scary.....)

"Now do some push-ups!" ordered Meiling.

(I never was really good at those, only able to do 25 in a row.)

(This is going to be hard as hell with those weights on me.)

(But the gloves should help as they don't slide on the ground.)

I laid down on the ground as I put my hands to shoulder length and my legs straight with toes firmly planted on the ground.

(Just gotta remember...90 degrees.)

Then I lifted myself using the little muscles I have.

Surprisingly I lifted myself with little difficulty, then I went down immediately towards the ground, breathing heavily.

(What the, lifting up is easy but going down is hard? This seems kinda backwards.)

"You call that a push up? Go up and down SLOWLY! BUILD YOUR DAMN MUSCLES by INCREASING RESISTANCE, here let me show you" barked Meiling.

Meiling got down on the ground too and got into the same position for the push up as I did.

Then she lifted herself up slowly, which was approximately two seconds. After that, she went down slowly, which was again two seconds.

"Now try again!" barked Meiling.

(I hate you....)

Meiling looked at me sternly as I looked back at her.

(Here we go....)

I tried to imitate Meiling, taking two seconds to go up.

(Now for the hard part.)

I tried to go down slowly by taking two seconds again to go down.

But halfway through, I immediately fell down to the ground again as I breathed in heavily, my muscles burning.

"Pathetic, but let's see if you can do this!" barked Meiling.

Meiling firstly stood up, before spreading her legs wide apart, then she had her toes pointed forward, she straightened her back as her thighs were parallel to the ground, her arms lifeless.

Then she raised her arms towards the sky perpendicular to the ground, then she extended them forward at shoulder level, and held it.

"Can you do this?" asked Meiling, in a demanding tone.

(Isn't this the horse stance? I am pretty sure this is a-lot harder to do than what you see in movies.)

(God this is going to hurt.)

I spread my legs apart before aligning my toes.

(Ack, my balls.)

I resisted the temptation to hold my manly balls as I straightened my back, resulting in my buttocks to be tucked in.

(Is this supposed to happen?)

Then I raised my arms to the air, even if the weights are bringing them down, I struggled to lift them up.

(Oh my sweet muscles.)

"Remember, arm motions for the start to be SLOW!" yelled Meiling.

(damn it Meiling, you made it harder!)

Then after about 20 seconds, I was able to lift my arms above my head, no matter how much they are shaking right now.

"Hmm~, your stabilization muscles need work" analyzed Meiling.

(I didn't even know those exist.)

(Now for the hard part again.)

I brought my arms down to my shoulder level, which was hard considering the fact if I let them drop, they would far below my intended height.

Meiling manipulated her fingers to resemble making an L shape with the thumb and index fingers, her other fingers were scrunched up and raised.

I did the same.

Now I am in a very weird stance, feeling embarrassed.

(I hope nobody else see this.....oh god this is painful!)

I found it hard to keep my back straight as my vest did not help what so ever, and thanks to the weights on my arms, they would constantly try to fall.

(This does not bode well with my body.)

I feel really "grounded" though, like someone who would try to sweep me would find himself failing.

(My legs aren't buckling, that's one good thing the weights are doing.)

5 minutes have passed, and already I am in searing pain, I struggled to keep my arms and back straight and raised.

Then a familiar voice sprang out, coming from the mansion.

"Brunch is, what are you people doing?" asked Sakuya.

(No! No! I'm gonna die of embarrassment and social anxiety!)

"We're training by utilizing the horse stance!" eagerly responded Meiling.

"You better not be shirking from your job while you are at it" said Sakuya.

"I'm not! So don't throw a knife at me!"

I saw Sakuya holding a plate with two steamed meatbuns while she rolled her eyes.

(I have never tasted a meatbun before surprisingly, I'm really hungry right now.)

Then for some reason an image of someone using Shaolin arts to make meatbuns popped up in my head.

(I don't think Sakuya used "Shove a thousand cattle" to make those meatbuns.)

Then she held out the plate to Meiling as she grabbed one instantly and ate voraciously.

(Damn, she must have gotten the munchies.)

"Ugh, this is awful!" complained Meiling.

Sakuya gave Meiling a really cold stare.

Then Sakuya did the same to me, her face dull with expression I reached out to grab one as Meiling noticed while she stopped eating.

"No Ken stop! Keep holding that pose! you need the strength!" yelled Meiling.

(Oh come on! Not one break?)

"Sakuya...er...feed him" said Meiling.

(What?!)

"What did you say?!" yelled Sakuya.

Sakuya had her back turned to Meiling while blushing hard, while a warm feeling came to my cheeks.

(My thoughts exactly! It would look weird if I looked like I was riding a horse with a maid feeding me.)

"Don't what me! I am simply doing what is best for Ken. He needs to be able to survive in the world doesn't he?" argued Meiling, surprising both me and Sakuya.

(You know China, very little doujins depict you as defiant to Sakuya without getting hurt...YET)

"If he has to really keep that weird pose up..." Sakuya conceded.

(Eh? you agree?! looks like Meiling actually wins.)

Sakuya looked into my eyes with her dark red eyes, she was blushing hard.

"Is it okay with you?" asked Sakuya.

(I think I would have died of moe right now if I didn't have a lolicon making me do a weird pose.)

"Err...um...yeah...sure" I stuttered.

Sakuya took a meatbun from the plate, and continued to look at my eyes.

She held it out to my mouth while she averted her eyes and had her other hand go up to her nose, somewhat half way into balling her fist as her index finger touched her nose.

(Please don't be as awful as Meiling says.)

I took a bite and chewed slowly as I began to ignore the pain my whole entire body was going through with my back straight and my fists up in the air.

Sakuya looked at me and giggled at me chewing with my mouth open.

I swallowed as I was sweating.

"Umm~, this is awkward" I said.

"It certainly is isn't it?" confirmed Sakuya.

Sakuya said that with a weird eagerness, while she smiled at me.

I smiled back meekly as it was uncomfortable also seeing China observing us.

(Are you enjoying this? Because I'm not...)

I went ahead and took another bite, this time actually tasting it.

(Huh, Meiling said it was bad.)

"Hey Meiling, I don't know about you but this meatbun is really good. The bun had a soft and sweet taste and the meat tasted like barbeque" I commented.

"Well, mine was hard and salty, and the meat was really bland. I think it was undercooked because I tasted blood" analyzed Meiling.

(Haha sucks for you.)

"Hahaha~, sorry Meiling. My bun was better than yours, wait a second" I said.

I looked at Sakuya, who was blushing heavily as she looked at me with those dark red eyes.

She held the plate to her chest with both arms on opposite sides of the plate covering part of it.

"Well, I spent so much time making your bun that I had to rush Meiling's, You are a guest and....." said Sakuya, stringing together the words really fast.

While Sakuya stopped, I started to get the ominously bad feeling I had before when I was at the shrine with Sakuya and Remilia, but not as bad.

(Erm~, does that feeling happen when i am always with Sakuya?)

"Well that doesn't mean you have to shortchange Meiling's" I said.

Then I laughed as Sakuya smiled once more at me, looking at me deeply.

(Isn't Sakuya usually highly strung or moody? Usually all I see her doing is killing someone when he/she mentions pads, yet when I did it, she didn't kill me.)

(But i didn't say it out loud obnoxiously, but she still threateningly almost cut me to pieces.)

I looked over at Meiling who seemed to be focused on keeping up the pose.

(How does she keep that up?)

As soon as I have thought of that, pain attacked me from all around as I collapsed and fell back.

Sakuya became surprised and dropped her plate while she threw away the half finished bun. However it was not wasted for naught as Meiling had a glint in her eyes and grabbed it with a....

"JAO~!" cried Meiling.

Then ravenously, Meiling literally dug her face into it as she soon finished it in three seconds flat with crumbs on her mouth.

(Well, aren't you the starving one?)

I was too tired to laugh at her as Sakuya put her knees down to the ground, picking up the plate and hugging it tightly to her chest.

"Are you okay? Did China push you too hard? Need my help?" asked Sakuya.

(....Wow....Sakuya was actually concerned to someone else like me unlike her only being a DOG to Remilia.)

I imagined a chibi Sakuya with dog ears and a tail serving a bigger Remilia tea.

However that stopped when Sakuya quickly got up and ran towards the Mansion..

"Oh no, the cleaning isn't going anywhere without me. Damn useless maids, can't do work without me. Sorry Ken, Bye!" yelled Sakuya.

(How come you say bye to me, when you don't at Meiling?)

As soon as Sakuya ran inside the mansion and closed the large doors behind her, I relaxed, taking in the temporary rest time I had for now.

A large shadow loomed over me who happened to be Meiling.

"We are going to stop for today seeing as you are oh so tired already. But we are going to have a workout schedule, don't expect it to be as wimpy as this!" said Meiling, grinning evilly.

(Wimpy? Michael Phelps and John Wall would cry at this!)

The pain on my body lessened into a dull as I felt better, my muscles no longer stressed, but still not liking it.

Meiling took in a deep breath, like she's going to say something big.

"Tomorrow when you wake up, you will first run around the SDM five times in the row. After that, you must fly around it again at least five times at half the SDM's height for warm-ups. Then you will stop at the gate and take a five minute break before you will graze the danmaku bullets I will unleash at you for 1 hour. After that, 30 push-ups and 100 squats, lunch break, then you must do the Horse Stance and hold it for 3 hours, no breaks. Then for another three hours with me pummeling you. Dinner break, finally for cooldown, You must carry me and fly around the Mansion two laps at 1/4 height. For two hours after that, you must endure danmaku pain as I will attack you and you must stand in one spot, enduring it. This will improve your body resistance to everything. You will thank me for this. I will give you a bunk in one of the maid's rooms for you to rest properly, then i will personally get you out of the bed and that's when we will start the training. You will be wearing weights for the entire duration of the training. I will make this harder every week, and one thing is for sure, YOU WILL FEEL PAIN! I SHALL CALL THIS MEILING's CURRAHEE! MUHAHAHAHAHA!" stated Meiling, bursting in her evil laugh.

(Oh joy, an exercise for me that would make jaded Shaolin monks and Masochist Spartans cry, but with Meiling taking out her abuse on me like an angry Call of Duty kid.)

(In all honesty I have never seen Meiling this sadistic before, hence her evil laugh.)

(Hell the only good thing is that I wouldn't be thinking of Marisa.)

(If she's making this harder every week, I will NOT enjoy this!)

(Especially now that Meiling has gone all Captain Sobel on me, I do wish I have a band of brothers with me doing the same thing.)

(Now that i think about it, Meiling and Yuka would make a great pair as of this moment!!)


	26. Rise to Power Chapter 8

**Yukari's POV**  
I recently woke up, while I groggily rubbed my eyes with my hands.

I was in my futon sleeping on my stomach as my face was on a pillow.

(Fufufu, let's see how Ken is doing.)

I opened up a gap to see Ken with a bright glowing yellow kite shield in front of him.

He seems to be bounded to a tree with his hands on the other side of the tree.

For some reason, Ken seems to be rapidly closing his eyes.

"OW! This really hurts!" grimaced Ken.

Meiling seems to be pounding away on the shield itself, making it falter as it seems to renew and glow more in strength.

"Come on Ken! This so called shield isn't going to hold itself up!" barked Meiling.

"Grr~, I wish I had some ibuprofen. This pain is just too much, I can't keep up the Astral Shield forever!

I closed the gap, giggling as I flipped over on the futon, now facing the ceiling.

(He seems to have handled the final test well.)

(And to think all I did was to put up Marisa's greediness higher than her love for Ken.)

(And the one who made her greedy in the first place, I give my thanks, it successfully helped me mold Ken into who i want.)

(The test was basically, "How would Ken handle a very emotional impact?")

(Just as I expected, he fell sullen when Marisa left him and sorta took a pact of silence.)

(But it was shorter than I expected as it was only a day before Ken came back to normal.)

(I had turned Marisa back to normal while she was visiting the Shrine.)

(I do not want Marisa to interfere with the test after she dealt the blow by stealing more books, but she did anyway come to the SDM with her own emotions.)

(I had hoped Ken to turn her away as I didn't want him to hug her with open arms, and he did successfully.)

(Now it seems that Ken does not want to continue the relationship nor does he care right now, as he concentrates on training up.)

(Up to this point, Ken's mental constitution is very good, he has been hardened enough in the outside world.)

(It has been interesting watching him in the real world with his friends.)

(In fact, the maid seems to have fallen for him on her own emotions, even without my manipulation.)

(However, I don't think the vampire will like this.)

I took out my hands under the blanket as I held them out over it.

Two embers instantly generated on the palm of my hands as I concentrated, the embers seem to be very small.

Sigils appeared under the flames as I slowly raised them up, making the flames blue but brighter.

Both disappeared as I stopped concentrating.

(Remilia will not interfere in this....I will not let her impede on Ken's broken heart recovery.)

(Ken has already started getting stronger with training under the gatekeeper.)

(Although, Meiling seems a little too harsh on him, he will need it, the next event will require every bit of him.)

(I should help Ken recover too, even if he probably doesn't like me for taking away his powers, eventually that would have corrupted him in the future.)

I slowly got out of the bed and stood up.

"RAN! CHEN! Both of you grab a large bag, we are going to the outside world!" I yelled, echoing through the house.

Instantly I heard footsteps as the door slid open with Ran and Chen both having a large bag.

As soon as Ran saw me, she quickly covered Chen's eyes with her hand.

"That was quick! It's like you guys knew this was going to happen" I commented.

"You told us to be ready with a bag to go to the outside world yesterday, and must you set an example like this for _her_?" yelled Ran.

I looked down and I noticed I was only wearing a thin purple dress that reached just three inches before the knees.

I blushed in embarrassment as I walked over to a closet, and grabbed my clothes.

"Fufufu~, you are right Ran. I should be prepared, there should be a snowstorm in the human world going on as we speak" I said.

I grabbed my fan, umbrella, and put on my clothes along with fixing up my hair as Ran slowly stopped covering Chen's eyes.

"Let's go, we are going to gather up the rest of Ken's things" I ordered.

(Hopefully Rinnosuke knows what a computer is, I have been wondering what ToujinStyle is.)

(After this, I think i will tell my friend to be ready at spring.)

**Reimu's POV**

I sighed as I swept off the dust to the grass with a broom.

(Maybe Ken is right, should I not sweep dust into my grass?)

(Then again, where else would i put it? and I have money, so it shouldn't matter.)

(Jeez, I really wish Ken was here to sweep it up for me.)

(Ken hasn't even come back from the SDM, is he dead? Marisa went to see and check if that was true.)

(She's the one who foolishly left him there in the first place, and I thought she was smart, she just doesn't want to use her head.)

I shrugged as a figure was flying in the sky towards the shrine.

The figure was flying on a broom wearing a blouse with blonde hair having a braid on the right side of her head.

(Marisa? Is she....crying? Does that mean he is dead?)

All of a sudden, a wave of sadness swept over me at the thought.

(But....who will sweep my courtyard for me?)

Marisa touched down on the ground and dropped her broom with her hands balled into fists, tears came onto the courtyard. She was looking down.

"Reimu."

Her voice was crackling with little gasps.

(Marisa, she's never this sad before, well she was ever since I...)

Marisa looked up at me, her eyes were red, as streaks of water came from her eyes to her chin.

Then she ran to me with her arms outstretched.

Then she hugged me, or rather squeezed me as her head was in between my bosoms.

"Is he dead?" I asked.

Marisa shook her head while I immediately blushed because she was practically rubbing against my breasts.

"Then why are you so sad?"

I felt Marisa's tears on my dress while she still had the little gasps.

"Uuu~, He hates me!" yelled Marisa.

(And I am not surprised.)

I rubbed Marisa's back with my left hand up and down trying to comfort her.

"It's okay. It's okay. Just give him some time" I comforted.

That helped somewhat, as Marisa let go and looked at me.

"Can I stay at your home for a few days? I don't want to go home" asked Marisa.

"Umm~, yeah. Just don't sneeze on my grass" I said.

Marisa was already somberly walking towards the shrine as she had forgotten her broom.

(I have never seen her this sad since....)

(I only know Marisa as hard-working but stubborn, usually very happy and playful, very persistent, but she was taught in the wrong way.)

(Mima.)

**Flashback Third POV**

Two people were in a forest with happily chirping youkai in the distance.

The trees seem to be shielding some of the sunlight from hitting the grass on the ground where two people are seen.

One was Marisa, sitting on the ground while being taught by an unknown person who had dark green eyes, long green hair, a typical wizards cap and outfit with a medium length cape tied to it along with a yellow ribbon while wearing white shoes.

"Marisa, in this world, you always have to be on your guard and be self-reliant" said the unknown person.

"But i am relying on you Mima" said Marisa.

"But i am merely someone who is helping you become more powerful. You should not be afraid to get whatever you wanted to grow power" taught Mima.

Marisa nodded and smiled at her master, who smiled back.

"Now go over to some trees and practice your danmaku, unless somebody doesn't want to learn Magic Missile" said Mima.

Immediately Marisa stood up and ran to a tree before assailing it with purple bullets from her hands, while Mima took out a dagger from her dress, smiling evilly.

"Mima~, can we learn Orrieres Sun too?" asked Marisa.

Mima quickly put it back in her dress before Marisa looked back. There were already many burnt marks already on the tree.

"Not yet Marisa, It's too much for you right now" said Mima.

Marisa showed disappointment on her face before once again assailing the tree with many purple danmaku.

Mima smiled evilly at Marisa as she took out her dagger again.

"_Just not yet_" quietly whispered Mima.

Fast forward a year...

"Marisa! You need to stop following Mima! She is an evil spirit!" yelled Reimu.

It is now at the Hakurei Shrine with Reimu recently having beaten Marisa in a duel, many burnt marks surround both Marisa and Reimu as Marisa was panting heavily.

Reimu had purple eyes, long purple hair with a large red ribbon, wearing a traditional red and white shrine maiden outfit while sitting on Genji.

"No! Mima is my master, she taught me many things! She taught me never to let anyone get in the way of your heart" argued Marisa.

Reimu simply shook her head.

Reimu:She's only using you! Listen to me!!!

"Shut up! You say that because you never trained in your life all because of your "talents!" While i worked very hard! I want to protect...."

Marisa opened her eyes wide before falling to the ground after a shank was heard....

"Marisa! You!" hissed Reimu.

Reimu pointed at the mysterious figure who stabbed Marisa from behind with a dagger, who then licked her blood.

It was Mima, who was relishing the blood as she glowed brightly with a very evil smile.

"I did teach her all those things. Use anything to your advantage, even if its your student you will use" said Mima.

"You bitch! Why are you glowing?!" yelled Reimu.

"Don't worry, she's not going to die, nor will she know I did that, she was the last step for me to turn into a human. No longer will I be a mere soul!"

Mima's aura began to be noticeable with a light blue tint as dust flew up, then Mima threw away the dagger towards Reimu, which landed in between them.

"Shall we?" asked Mima.

Mima began to float in the air with lightning at her fingertips, laughing evilly.

Reimu smiled as well, as she took off her ribbon, letting down all her hair, and Genji floated up into the air.

"Actually, there is a new spell card I want to try" said Reimu.

"Bring it on then! Orrieres Sun!" Mima declared.

Four miniature planets appear and orbit around Mima as she gloated.

"FANTASY HEAVEN!" yelled Reimu.

After the battle, Mima was on the ground, with her dress being torned apart as she became angry, trees surrounding them were vaporized.

Reimu was panting heavily as Genji lowered her to the ground as she got off.

Reimu walked over to Mima holding two iron boxes on both her hands, respectively called Mima and then Mima's powers.

"Disrespecting the same rules you made didn't you?" snarled Mima.

"Only when I explicitly don't feel like battling, and that took a lot out of me" said Reimu.

Reimu put a tag on Mima's forehead and then on the dagger.

"What are you doing!? You already have won the battle!" yelled Mima.

Mima tried to pull off the tag forcibly but it only resulted in it glowing, burning her forehead.

"No, the fact is, you're still here, and I am surprised I haven't sealed you yet, so good bye!" said Reimu, cheerfully.

Reimu chanted an incantation quickly as a yin and yang symbol appeared under her.

Both boxes floated in the air as Reimu quickly chanted the words.

"I am about to be sealed!? NO~!" yelled Mima, her voice distorted while she still sung "NO~."

Mima warped into the box labeled Mima as she was sucked into it, making the box shake heavily before falling back into the ground, now docile.

However, the dagger didn't let up, instead of being sucked into the other box, It blew up in a big and blue explosion.

Reimu stopped the incantation and covered her face from the magic explosion, closing her eyes.

Slowly, the explosion began to dye her hair black as it slowly transformed Reimu's body.

Genji simply retreated to inside his shell, not being affected by the explosion what so ever.

After the explosion, the dagger was gone, leaving a mark on the floor.

Reimu opened her eyes which have turned into dark red and her hair into black.

"She's gone" said Reimu. "She's finally gone."

"Uuu~"

Marisa awakened, and immediately twitched with pain as she put her hand on her back.

"Who, made me unconscious?" asked Marisa, her voice hoarse.

Reimu noticed that Marisa awoke and immediately ran over to her to help her up.

"It was a death angel, luckily your master came and had to sacrifice herself to save you" said Reimu, falsely smiling.

Marisa opened her eyes in surprise, tears began to fall out.

"She did?"

Marisa looked down on the ground as her tears fell out onto the courtyard.

Marisa was bracing herself on Reimu as she carried her into the shrine.

"Come inside, you're going to need some help" comforted Reimu.

But not before scooping up the Mima box and taking it with her.

End Flashback

**Reimu's POV**

I sighed as I remembered that I left the MIMA box in the supply closet, abandoned like my robot maid.

(If this keeps up, I may have to unseal her, in order to make Marisa feel better.)

(I do not wish to, but she can be considered docile. Her powers are gone in a magical explosion.)

(Wait, I think I forgot how to unseal it. Let's leave it at that.)

(Right now, I need to focus on making her feel better.)


	27. Rise to Power Chapter 9

**Yukari's POV**

I made a gap leading to Ken's Room.

I checked if it was devoid of any people in the room.

(Good, no one is in this room.)

I gave a thumbs up to them as I entered the room.

The room was now a mess, as Ran and Chen came out of the gap.

I closed the gap, then I looked over at Ran and Chen.

"You must NOT let anyone see you! Chen, remember! This isn't playtime! This is serious, If they see us, we will be in big trouble.

Chen nodded as I began to look around for anything.

(We already cleared out this room, wait what's this.)

I looked outside and saw it was night in the outside world, with flashes seen below as i looked down towards the window. There was a surprisingly lack of snow.

(I guess I'm wrong about the snowstorm then.)

I heard a noise outside, and it appears to be cars with some sort of lights on top of them.

Each light was in red, white, and blue as they spun around, while making a siren.

(I remember these things, they are POLICE cars, they are only around when there is trouble.)

They surrounded Ken's House while people in strange uniforms were out and were going into the house.

(Uh oh, looks like we got company. From Rinnosuke's information, they appear to be police officers.)

I looked around in Ken's room, which looked like there was a struggle in the room.

(Indeed it does look like Ken was kidnapped, so this room could be like a crime scene...)

(I am guessing shows like CSI are known to be good thanks to Rinnosuke. The suspense IS killing you.)

(But they just happened to come. Ken was brought into Gensokyo a while ago, are they just here to check?)

I looked over at Ran and Chen who knows what's going on, they nod as Ran grows worried.

"Your suggestion, mistress?" asked Ran.

(How nice of you to ask.)

"Fufufu, hide the bags in your dresses. Chen hide your tails in your dress. Ran, you are too noticeable, you must go back to Gensokyo. Chen will be with me" I ordered.

(I wish you didn't have giant poofy tails.)

"But..."

"Do not worry. Your shikigami will be safe with me" I assured.

Ran bowed as I opened the gap back to my house as she went in.

"Now Chen, do as I say and we won't get caught, oh and hide your ears in your hat!" I said.

Chen adjusted her hat so the cat ears aren't visible anymore, then checked to see if her two tails were in her dress.

"Okay, I'm done Yukari" said Chen.

(Good, now supposedly Ken has another room.)

There were two doors in this room.

One would lead to a hallway with many other rooms connecting to it while the other should lead to Ken's other room.

"Chen follow me" I ordered.

"Okay."

(I haven't tried this door yet, could it be?)

I opened one of the doors, and it was success as it led into a room with a lot of things and the lights in the room made it well-lit.

(So is this what they called the computer??)

I walked over to a desk that has a big metallic box on top with lights coming out, a thing with many letters on it, and a square-like object with a black square.

There were lights on the square black center object that seem to be flashing.

(So by Rinnosuke's information, that is the processor, the keyboard, and the monitor.)

I pressed on one of the letters on the keyboard, and immediately the monitor lit up and showed an image.

I examined the image and it appears to be a profile.

(DoseBleed? looks like his profile was viewed by....judging by this list, Matsu011, Tagestical, Zaku, Soniceatsyou, 85inches, ANelsey, Fire Haven, Fixedstartbutton, Nasch(SUPERAWESOMEQUINCYFAN)71, Mintai, ManIncarnate, Noly, Acy, HeartMat, Kill110, Deathangel, Cosmic BaldEagle, MysticWrist, Mistress Luna, Punkygrl326, Gamerisnotme, and Ricanprince.)

(Strange names. Is this the internet? Which would mean would this be ToujinStyle?)

I saw keys on the keyboard that resembled arrows. I pressed down on the down arrow and the image suddenly moved down, revealing more.

(Oooo, this is interesting. The kappa would be greatly jealous of this thing.)

Then I realized Chen wasn't doing anything but just standing around.

(I should give her something to do. It would set an example for her to be more productive in life.)

"Chen, if you hear footsteps, warn me okay?" I said.

Chen nodded and watched the door.

(Ran certainly raised her to be a good girl.)

I continued to press down on the keyboard and it seemed to give me results.

(Hmm~, comments page? Does this mean you can communicate over the internet? Humans are smart these days, but in the end, also haughty.)

(Okay, Acy said "Do we really need these food topics? Please Limit Yourself." Time:8:57. Then Noly said "Don't listen to Acy," Time: 8:58)

(Is this what humans call a mouse?)

I saw an object next to the keyboard that had buttons and a wheel in the center.

I put my hand on it and moved it, and suddenly something moved on the screen.

"Eh? what moved?" I said, narrowing my eyes.

Then i saw an oversized arrowhead on the screen that is reacting to me moving the mouse.

I made the mouse go right, the arrowhead soon followed, I made it go up, and it went up.

(Hehe, this is fun!)

I had continued to keep moving the arrowhead as I willed, eventually moving on to doing trickier stuff such as moving in a circle.

(Hmm~, What are the purposes for the buttons?)

"FREEZE!"

I quickly turned my head to see two people wearing a police uniform holding what seems to be guns, pointing at us.

One police officer was really fat. looking like he is pregnant while the other one seemed to be skinny and heavily tanned.

The fat police officer had an extremely chubby face while the other one had a what they call a porn mustache on him.

"Chen, why didn't you warn me when there was people coming?" I asked.

"I did, but then you didn't listen, I even tugged your sleeve, but you were too busy looking at that shiny thing" replied Chen.

(Was i really that absorbed I couldn't even feel a tug? Computers are dangerous, no wonder humans waste their lives on this thing.)

"Lady and kid, We need to take you downtown and ask you a few questions" stated the Fat Police officer.

I reached into my dress and pulled out a red leather glove, then I put it on my left hand as I put my gloved hand behind my back.

(What am I about to do better not scar me for life. This better be their weakness.)

I cringed at what I am about to do..

Both officers had their guns on us as they looked cautiously at me.

"Chen, don't do anything" I said, to not provoke any unfortunate mistakes.

"Okay" said Chen.

"Now humans, come any closer and you will regret it. Shoot us and you will regret it too" I threatened.

(Hopefully only the fat person comes, then his punishment will come greatly.)

(Either way they are both going to face something.)

"You're human too dumbass. Fred go ahead and cuff their pretty asses" said the tanned police officer.

"Don't heed my words then. But "Fred" won't like it" I warned.

"Andre, these pretty girls don't need you to insult them" said Fred.

Fred looked at us with a smile, while still pointing his gun at us.

(Ugh~. Humans.)

"But I am afraid I will have to take you girls downtown, I'll buy your kid an ice cream cone though" consoled Fred.

"What's that?" asked Chen.

"Eh? You don't know? Must be an immigrant. I will show you later" answered Fred.

(Is this what people call a pedophile? It fits him.)

Fred took a step further to us, making me grin.

"TOO LATE!" I yelled.

I opened the border behind my back and put my hand in and...

"Oh My God What the Fuck!" screamed Fred.

Instantly, Fred dropped his gun and grabbed his balls, then he fell to the floor, squirming because of them.

(Never do I want to do that again.)

I took my hand out of the border before I took off my glove that happened to have some blood and skin on it.

(I will never squeeze and destroy a man's testes again. Especially a pedophile's ones.)

I shuddered as Andre looked at us and shot his gun, luckily I had already placed a border on both guns so in case they fire, they instantly go towards their balls.

"AYE~!" shrieked Andre, making Chen giggle a little.

He too grabbed his balls and fell down, squirming as his pants began to show that it is bleeding.

"Fufufu~, Humans are so fragile" I commented.

(One of man's few weaknesses are the balls. If one were to deal damage to them, it would have great stunning capability and also deal psychological damage, but disgusting at the same time.)

"The hell you do to us MuthaFucka" cursed Andre.

"You know yourself, why do you need to know?!" I replied.

"We are going to press charges to you for Sexual Assault, Battery, Assault, and all other things. You bitch!" threatened Andre.

(Humans and their language, uncontrollable.)

I sighed, while Chen looked confused and looked at me.

"Mistress, what does bitch and muthafucka mean?" asked Chen.

I twitched as soon as Chen said those words while my eyes uncontrollably blinked for a few seconds.

"Chen, you don't want to know, and don't ever say those words again" I chided.

"Chen, we have been compromised. Let's go" I said.

"Okay, mistress" obeyed Chen.

"Wait!" I yelled.

(I have always heard that guns rely on bullets to shoot, should it run out, it won't shoot, maybe Rinnosuke has a cache of bullets. Hmm~.)

I took the officer's guns, took off the borders and tucked it in my dress, then I took their Tazers that were tucked safely in their fanny packs.

(They would make nice decorations in my house for such small pistols, and the tazers would come in handy. I think Ken would like it as a gift.)

(I'll just have to change the border on their functions so they don't rely on anything!)

"I'm sorry humans. But I have to go. Enjoy bleeding out to death!" I said.

I opened a gap to my house under me and Chen as we descended, immediately closing the gap after falling in.

The last thing we heard from them while descending was from Fred.

"I feel violated."

(Of course you should.)

(I guess we can't visit his home anymore due to two dying people in there.)

We were welcomed by the sight of Ran, who had a Papa Johns box in her hands.

(Oh yes, I remember having them yesterday, we couldn't finish. Chen didn't want to eat it.)

"Aww~! Pizza again?! But i don't like it!" whined Chen.

"You haven't even tried it Chen! Don't you know you should always try new food?!" chided Ran.

"Nyah!" pouted Chen.

Chen had her arms crossed and averted her eyes, like a bratty child would do.

"Come on, Chen, It's good. Ran, warm it up in a microwave and press the pizza reheat button" I said.

Ran bowed, then walked away with the box.

"Come on Chen, go with your master" I said. "Yukari needs to do something."

After a little bit, Chen walked to where Ran was while still crossing her arms.

(My, My, someone needs to brush up on manners.)

I took out the guns and tasers from my dress and laid them out on the floor, while observing them.

The pistols said Colt .45 on them while the tasers said X6 on them.

(I think, I will give Ken a taser when he is done training. They may not work on ghosts but they will certainly work on humans and probably youkai alike.)

(Speaking of Ken...)

I opened another gap to check on Ken.

He seems to be carrying Meiling around the SDM. It was around sunset as the light is unusually strong at such an angle.

Along with Meiling he is carrying, he is also wearing some kind of weights all over his body as he seems to be having trouble flying around the SDM.

Meiling also has a whip in her hand as she continues to whip Ken on the derriere.

"Go faster damn it, FASTER!" barked Meiling.

"I would also love to punch you but that isn't going to happen either" complained Ken.

"Fufufu~, Ken is facing a lot of abuse" I commented.

"What was that?!" said Ken in surprise.

He stopped immediately as he looked around for the sound of my voice, while I narrowed the gap.

(I shouldn't have said that out loud.)

"What's the matter?! Don't stop! KEEP GOING!" barked Meiling.

I heard many whip crackles, as Ken is spurred like a horse to keep going.

I closed the gap and giggled to myself.

(I didn't think that gatekeeper would have so much control over him.)

I laughed at the thought.

(So, as of now, it is Summer. Ken will have to endure winter during training, which will make it harder.)

"Mistress, Pizza's done!" yelled Ran.

"OK!" I yelled.

(Yuyuko, you better not be eating when i come to visit.)


	28. Rise to Power Final Chapter

**Ken's POV**  
(Ugh~, Where am I?)

(All I remember right now is plopping down on a pillow and instantly sleeping.)

Right now I was in a white nothingness while I was wearing a white shirt and with a black jacket with black jeans.

(Whoa~, since when did I get these clothes on...and where are my weights?)

I saw something below that was ascending to me below my feet, it looked like a floorboard.

"What the..Ack!" I grunted when the floorboard impacted my feet.

(This has got to be a dream.)

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Then walls closed in on me from the sides as my surroundings began to look like a hallway with seven doors, four doors on the left, three on the right.

"HEY!" yelled an unknown voice.

(Holy hell who's that behind me?)

I did a quick 360 and saw it was Cirno.

But Cirno wasn't wearing her ribbon so she looks like a teenage girl about a inch shorter than me with long teal hair. She is wearing a light pink blouse with a blue jumper dress over it.

"I am Cirno, the strongest keymaker!" proudly declared a voice.

(Of course you're the strongest Key.....wait...Keymaker?)

(Isn't that something from the Matrix?)

"Hello Cirno. So you're the keymaker?" I greeted.

(Why am i being nice to her?)

"Yes and I am the strongest keymaker there is!" declared Cirno, again.

Cirno stood with pride while holding out a keyring with a-lot of keys.

(Oh my god that is a-lot of keys.)

(If you're the keymaker, then you should be able to unlock these doors.)

"Hey Cirno here's a great idea. Let's unlock these doors!" I said, cheerfully.

Cirno nodded and walked over to the first door on the left wall.

"Easy! No door can stand in my way!" boasted Cirno.

(Jeez, stop bashing the doors.)

I walked over to where Cirno is and she began to open the door by randomly choosing a key as she put it in.

She turned it as I heard a ping meaning it was unlocked.

"See! This lock on the door has fallen before my might" boasted Cirno.

(Oh, no door can stand in your way Cirno! Idiot.)

I turned the doorknob as I began to see that the area outside the door was only a tree stump in the middle of nothingness.

But there were two people on the stump, One person was Sanae and the other one was Koakuma.

I see that the Koakuma was sitting on the stump with Sanae's stomach on her lap while Koakuma raised her hand threateningly.  
Sanae looked sullen while Koakuma had a very naughty face.

(What's with that naughty face?)

Koakuma began to spank Sanae on her backside.

"You have been a very bad girl, Sanae!" scolded Koakuma.

"Waa~! I'm Sorry!" apologized Sanae loudly.

Sanae was crying while she twitched from pain from the spanking.

(Surprisingly this is interesting, I haven't died from irony of moe.)

After staring for five minutes, Koakuma put Sanae, who was crying, beside the stump and then took out a red blanket.

(I only remember seeing a red blanket in cartoons and the next thing you know, there was a bull.)

(What could be closely related to a bull in Gensokyo?)

Koakuma unwrinkled the blanket and began waving it behind Sanae with a smile.

"Come on, Come on El Keine!" lured Koakuma.

(Eh?)

"Moo~!"

Next thing i know, I see horns sticking into Sanae's bung hole as it was EX-Keine who was caving her, while Sanae was screaming her lungs out with her head raised.

"CAVED!" I yelled.

(Oh shit.)

EX-Keine looked at me and took out her horns, before aiming them at me.

(Uh oh, I think i better go.)

I immediately slammed the door close before EX-Keine charged, I immediately jumped back from the door by instinct.

A few seconds later, Horns came out from the door as they stuck out.

I heard a muffled and somewhat despondent "moo" while I began to sweat.

(Whew! That was close. Hey where's Cirno?!)

I looked around for Cirno as she was gone, then she was at her same spot when she surprised me earlier.

"I am over here idiot. I already went ahead and unlocked every weak door for you so go ahead and open away" said Cirno.

I twitched when Cirno said idiot, surprised with situational irony.

(Idiot huh? I wouldn't be talking.)

I went ahead and walked over to the second door. I opened it for it to reveal Ran in her typical outfit with her back facing me, in a room of nothingness again.

(Okay, this seems pretty normal so far. No one is spanking other people.)

"Chen~!" screamed Ran.

(Okay, pretty normal meme so far.)

Then i heard a distant whir.

I heard rapid fire as Ran's body became peppered with gunshots.

(What in the hell?!)

After Ran's body was peppered for another three minutes, she fell down with a loud thud but with only tattered clothes.

(What? no blood, the only blood I see is from the nose.)

Ran seemed to be smiling with bullet holes in her skin with a small nosebleed.

(But....who?)

I looked up and saw a entirely black helicopter with.....Chen holding a big chain-gun labeled ChenGun as the barrels are smoking.

(Chen, you shot down your own master?)

"Chen, what the hell?!" I yelled.

"Nyah! She didn't give me a red snapper!" complained Chen.

The barrels began spinning with that familiar whir going on.

(Oh no I'm not going to get shot down!)

I immediately closed the door and hurried to the third door on the left wall.

I saw the door get peppered with bullet holes as some of the bullets made it through the door to the other wall.

(Chen is scarier than i thought.)

I opened the third door as I saw Tenshi and a brown suitcase on nothingness again, along with Iku putting her head to the suitcase.

Tenshi was wearing a green robe while Iku had on a red dress.

(Are my dreams too lazy to include scenery?)

I sighed as everything around the two are basically just white.

"Hey I hear a mysterious ticking noise" analyzed Iku.

"And it has a cool beat too, hmm~. Ten...ten...ten~shi...ten...ten...ten~shi" sung Tenshi.

(I thought I would never see a crossover between Touhou and Potter Pals.)

I kept thinking about it as Iku opened up the suitcase.

"Oh hey, I found the source of the ticking....It's a pipe bomb!" cheered Iku.

Iku held up a square box with a blinking light that is now beeping and blinking more rapidly.

Tenshi raised her hands in the air.

"YAY~!" cheered Tenshi.

(WHAT?!)

I took out my head that was sticking out the door and closed it, bracing it with my back.

As the beeping began to get faster, I heard muffled voices.

"What the Fuck!" Iku yelled.

Then I heard a Boom, along with the crackle of a fire. I felt the shockwave since I felt a very uncomfortable bump on my back.

"BOOM~! Muhahahaha!" cackled Tenshi.

(Make that a triple crossover, how would Tenshi be still ali....oh yeah...masochist celestials these days.)

I went ahead and opened the first door on the right wall.

(Finally, some scenery!)

It appears I was in a movie screening room with the screen being darkened.

I went ahead and took the closest seat on my left but left the door open just in case I might get trapped in here.

(Never hurts to be too careful even when it's a dream.)

The screen so far has a typical "Turn off all electronics" sign as it slowly dissipated.

The person who was sitting next to me was Nazrin, eating cheese from the bucket, that had the KFC sign on it.

(Hehe what is she eating? Kentucky Fried Cheese?)

"Unto this world, A child is born" said the movie.

I looked at the screen and it depicted, Shou Toramaru half-naked wearing a sarashi and japanese underwear while on her knees who just recently "teleported" to a dark arabic place.

Shou has orange-yellow hair with black stripes in it and golden yellow eyes with a lotus-shaped ornament on her head.

Shou began to look around and stand up as she detected.

(She has some kind of weird robotic vision?)

She sees the three walking Wise Queens with donkeys behind them carrying bags and garments.

(This seems familiar, what is this based off of?)

Shou begins to walk up to them as they stopped.

As I looked in Shou's POV, her vision appears to select every article of clothing on the middle Queen, then a word popped up saying "Match."

(What the hell?!)

"Enjoying the night, my sister?" asked the queen in the middle.

All three queens were in a nun outfit as they were confused and looked at Shou half naked.

"Your robes...Give them to me" said Shou, in a monotone.

(Shou talking in somewhat of a monotone. What the hell?)

"What? I assure you I bring many gifts but my robes are not among them" said the middle queen.

"What are you? Some kind of wise queen?" asked Shou.

The Middle Queen looked at her clothes, looked at her fellow queens, then looked at Shou shocked.

"Well, actually yes I am" confirmed the queen.

Shou just stood there for a second, then she punched the middle queen in the face, making her head tilt up and fall down to the ground.

After a few seconds, Words popped up on the screen with a cheesy announcer talking in an advertising way.

"She's back!"

"Shou Toramaru as Shou Toramaru in.."

"The greatest action movie ever told..."

(This is all beginning to sound familiar.)

We see through Shou's robotic Point Of View again as she sees "No Vacancy" and then "Gone to Human Village."

All of a sudden, Shou pulls out a pair of sunglasses and says, "Hasta La Vista, Baby Hijiri."

(....The Terminator...MadTV style...How did I not know? Seems interesting though.)

Then the scene switched to Hijiri standing in front of many people sitting down with the words, "33 years later" at the bottom of the scene. There are sheep behind Hijiri along with a village behind the sitting people.

Hijiri was wearing brown beggar's robes with several rips with long purple to blonde hair downlength.

(Well, Byakuren Hijiri is popularly known to be like Lincoln or Jesus.)

"Alright, Sit down, Did I make enough?" asked Byakuren.

"Okay, back to my sermon, Thou Shalt Not, what the?!" said Byakuren.

Shou came out of nowhere behind Hijiri with a pump-action shotgun, scaring away the sheep and the people.

(Where the hell do you get a shotgun in the dark age?)

There appears to be three Komachis respectively holding a spear, a net, and a scythe. All three had red hair tied up in pigtails while wearing Lamellar plates, basically what roman soldiers wear.

"Get Down!" shouted Shou.

Hijiri ducked down as Shou fired at the three Komachis.

All three fell down in a comedic fashion at the same time with twisted face expressions.

(Jesus, It's not Ju-on I'm watching here.)

Shou walked up to Hijiri as she got back up.

"What are you doing?" asked Hijiri.

"They were going to arrest you" said Shou.

"I know"

"And seal you"

"This supposed to happen"

"What are you? A glutton for punishment?"

Hijiri twitched at that comment as the scene changed to Hijiri and Shou walking around in a very dilapidated village.

(I say this is funnier than the original parody. I love this parody of a parody.)

I was basically coughing from laughing so hard at Shou acting like Arnold.

"In the beginning, there was Shou" said the announcer.

"I'm a cybernetic organism, with the mission to protect you" Shou stated.

Hijiri had her hands on Shou like she was groping her despondently like any other Christian priest would.

"I appreciate your concern and i realize you traveled a great distance. But there is a plan, a master plan even, and i can't explain to you right now but you must....stay away..." Hijiri explained.

In the meanwhile, Shou "targeted" three Shiki-Eikis in Lamellar uniforms, and was about to shoot them but Hijiri angled it up and stopped her while firing, somehow not catching the attention of the guards.

(Those are the worst guards I ever seen.)

Hijiri glared at Shou angrily.

"And you cannot....go around killing people!" grimaced Hijiri.

"Why?" asked Shou.

"Because it is wrong to kill people for no reason."

"Why?"

"Because it's a sin."

"Why?"

Hijiri started to get frustrated and made weird hand motions in the air.

"Because it's not nice."

"Why?"

Hijiri sighed and looked in the air with a praying manner.

"Forgive her Brother. She's a robot from the future."

Shou looked up to the sky trying to find where is this so called "brother"

(Wow, Shou is only taught how to be a mean killing machine.)

I was laughing obnoxiously loud that even Nazrin glared at me, then went back to eating her cheese from the bucket.

Then the scene changed into the famous last supper scene but with Hijiri and Touhou characters, all in robes except for one.

(Huh? Where's Judas? What touhou character is supposed to be Judas?)

"Thou Shalt not miss this movie. Now...come witness this miracle" said the announcer

"My sisters, my time with you is almost over. But for now, let us eat" declared Hijiri.

Hijiri raised her glass of water as Shou suddenly barged in from a door.

Everyone looked at Shou as a fat person in a shrine maiden outfit looked at Shou shocked with her eyes wide open.

(Reimu as Judas?....kinda fits..)

Shou "targeted" Reimu in her robotic vision as it labeled, "Reimu....Will betray Byakuren."

"Eat this" said Shou.

(That monotone isn't working for you.)

Then Shou shot Reimu which sent her across the table with other touhou characters shocked and backed off the table, while the dishes and goblets fell to the floor and crashed.

(Reimu really does kinda fit Judas. I just don't get the fact that she's fact.)

Hijiri shook her head and glared at Shou.

"You....You just don't get it do you?" asked Hijiri.

"You were targeted for termination" warned Shou.

(Oh god this is too funny, my stomach hurts....)

"I already told you. I'm supposed to die for the sins of mankind."

Hijiri shook her hands and put them on Reimu's stomach, glowing white for a second then it stopped. A chorus sang along with the glowing.

Then Reimu sat up seemingly healed.

"I'm programmed to protect you."

Shou shot Reimu again and pumped her shotgun.

Hijiri looked even more exasperated and made weird hand motions in the air.

"STOP! STOP KILLING RAY-MOO!" yelled Hijiri.

(Your voice kinda broke down during the RAY-MOO part Hijiri.)

"But she's going to betray you" said Shou.

"I know. Look Look. I got a lot on my mind right now and you are beginning to stress me out, Okay?! OK?!" ranted Hijiri.

(Wow you must be really stressed out.)

Hijiri proceeded to "heal" Reimu once again until Reimu sat up.

"Kogasa Tatara at Ten O'clock!" warned Shou.

Everyone including Reimu and Hijiri began to look in Shou's direction as Shou shot Reimu again and pumped her shotgun.

Then Hijiri got really mad.

"Okay! GIVE ME THAT THING!" demanded Hijiri.

Then she goes over to Shou with her hand motioning for the shotgun.

The scene changes to a group of people as Reimu begins to seal Hijiri, making an evil smile as Hijiri hung on a crucifix.

Then it shows Shou with Ichirin crying on Shou. Ichirin was dressed like a nun with light blue purple hair and dark purple eyes.

"Don't worry, she'll be back" said Shou.

Then Ichirin stopped crying and looked up at Shou, then she begins to laugh and cry at the same time.

"What?" asked Shou.

(That monotone is really working for you.)

"Shou Toramaru starring in the greatest action movie ever. Bless this movie!" said the announcer

(Okay, That was nice. It would be nice if this became a meme, especially since it should be year of the Shou right now...)

I stood up and walked out the door I came in through.

(Jeez, it had to be over so soon.)

I stretched myself as I was back in the bleak hallway.

I went to the second door and opened it.

I ended up in an urban playground with the surroundings being fences and tall skyscrapers.

Then I saw a person in a business suit with dress pants with dress shoes with blond hair, a braid on the right side of her head, and wearing sunglasses.

"Mister Sington" said the woman in the suit.

(Marisa? Why does she look like agent Smith?)

"Miss Kirisame" I replied.

"You will like being a girl" said Marisa.

(What do you mean by that?)

Marisa began to walk towards me with her hand outreached.

(Hey! I want to keep my manhood!)

When Marisa got close, I parried her hand and punched her to the ground.

(Unlike in the outside world, you can hit girls if you want. This looks like i can get out all my anger at Marisa, and judging by this scenery, Marisas.)

"Marisas, now!" yelled the one on the ground before disintegrating.

Immediately I saw a ring of Marisas surrounding me.

(Holy crap, this is going to be fun.)

(Now come on. Since it's my dream, I should be able to get what i want...Law of attraction work NOW!)

I imagined an MP5K in both of my hands, and they appeared.

I readied myself and pointed the guns at the Marisas, who were grinning.

Ken:Let's go!

I fired my guns as the Marisas fell everywhere.

I used my peripheral vision to see who is coming to try to tackle me and immediately fired at whoever came at me.

I made fancy firing moves as I was firing my gun under my lifted knee at one point.

Then immediately every Marisa stopped circling and came at me at the same time.

(Come on, I wanna jump high, I feel like Neo.)

Then it came to fruition, and I jumped high.

Then I pointed my guns down as I spun in the air while shooting.

However, every Marisa I kill seemed to have spawned more Marisas from the surrounding area.

I was then spinning to the ground as I slowly spread my guns apart while still shooting.

(They sure do have a lot of ammo, oh they're out. When I hit the ground, I want to make a shockwave that will launch everyone in the air.)

That came true too, as I came down and it made every Marisa launch up into the air.

(Haha look at them flailing in the air.)

I discarded the guns by throwing them at the nearest Marisas, making the Marisas behind them fall down in a chain reaction.

More Marisas came towards me, while my hands glowed with a green aura.

(Let's see how you like this!)

"SHINING FINGER~!" I declared.

(I better not be blatantly copying off that Gundam thing.)

One Marisa charged at me with her fist high.

"MEGATON PUNCH!" I yelled, before drilling the Marisa in the gut.

She fell to the ground disintegrating while I continued to punch more Marisas.

I gathered up energy in my right hand until it glowed red.

A Marisa foolishly charged at me, I drilled her in the face while saying, "FALCON~ PAWNCH!" The punch propelled her towards the other Marisas, making them go down, as they disappeared. Soon more Marisas replaced the temporary breach in their numbers.

My hands lost their aura as there is a brief clearing around me.

(Come on, I wish I have my Tsurugi and my shield with me!)

It came true as I have the Tsurugi in my right hand and my Astral shield in the other.

The Tsurugi having markings on its blade with its tempered edge while my Astral Kite Shield glowed green with Osmium power and black outlines.

I braced myself as raining Marisas fell on the flow of other Marisas, making them fall.

"You won't get away, Mr. Sington!" Yelled one of the Marisas.

"Let's go! S4 League and Cabal Online style!" I declared

(Come on, what skills can i remember from those games I used to play back in middle school?)

I immediately used a move that I always spam in S4 league.

I jumped into the air, then i went down with my shield against the ground as it made a shockwave, tripping nearby Marisas.

Then I forced it up against the ground, making many blue squares all formed in an uppercut high in the air.

"YAH~!" I grunted.

(I love that grunt they always make in S4 League when you do that counter-sword uppercut.)

Marisas disintegrated into 01010101 while flying in the air as I begin to point my shield towards the incoming flow of Marisas on my left.

"Shield Ray!" I declared.

My shield formed a yellow beam that extended outwards towards Marisas with a "PEW" as the entire horde that was in the way disintegrated.

Then behind me, someone grabbed my shoulder.

I immediately turned around as I twisted my Tsurugi round and round then grabbed it.

Then I directed towards the Marisa behind me as i made a 360 in a stab.

"Wild Strike!" I declared.

Energy filled my sword with an earth aura as it went clean through Marisa, then I withdrew it, making her disintegrated. Before she died, she held up her middle finger.

(Did she just flick me off?)

I got angry as my shield began to glow red.

Then it had a red aura around it, as I braced myself.

"Shield Splinter!" I yelled.

(This is said to be one of the strongest in Cabal Online.)

I let the crowd in front of me gather before they charged threateningly with fists in the air.

Then I let go of my shield as it launched itself towards the crowd, spinning violently with crackling red electricity.

When it first contacted a Marisa, Red lightning from the sky struck the shield, making nearby Marisas disintegrate, then it did it again for another three before returning to me.

Unfortunately I was unaware who was behind me as I was tackled to the ground., then another fell to the ground before me.

"Marisa Pile! Marisa Pile! Marisa Pile!" chanted the Marisas.

I was trapped under a pile of Marisas as they kept yelling those two words.

"How would you like a wet willie, Mr. Sington" said a Marisa.

Then she licked her finger and stuck it in my ear.

I felt a liquid in my ear that was really repugnant.

(AUGH~, Disgusting.)

"No~!" I yelled.

I sat up in the bed quickly, still shouting no.

"Jeez it took you long" said an unknown voice.

(Eh? What?)

"Huh?" I said.

I looked around and I saw I was back in the SDM, fully awake.

I still felt something wet in my ear, I put my hand up to it and indeed there was liquid in it.

"It was the only way to wake you up" continued the voice.

I looked for the source of the voice, and saw that it was Meiling, standing next to me while i sat up in the bed.

Meiling was wearing green chinese pajamas, I could tell easily by the pattern by her neck.

In where I slept was literally a barracks for maids, bunk beds stood clustered together with maids asleep in each one, a maid slept with me on the top bunk.

Their belongings would go to some kind of equipment box in front of the bunk beds.

During my time here, I would see a line of maids come into the barracks into their chosen bunks, and immediately go to sleep. The last one who entered the room shut off the lights, leaving only the windows in the room to illuminate the room. When I awoke, they would usually be still sleeping. But at this point, they have awoken, now giving me dirty looks as they grumbled amongst themselves.

"Come on, take a shower first, but leave those weights on. We have a new course I am going to put you through" said Meiling.

(Well whatever it is, it should be easy.)

(But I never did have a memory of taking a shower in Gensokyo at all. I took a bath in the Hakurei Spring, but that was it.)

"Hey? Where exactly is the room to take a shower in?" I asked.

"Go out of this room into the hallway, then the bathroom should be on your right at the very end, door on the left wall" described Meiling.

"Thanks"

"When you are done, meet me at the library."

(Library? That's new.)

"Fine"

I walked out of the room full of grumbling maids as I turned right and began to walk down the red hallway with a red carpet, arches held the ceiling up with busts of Remilia everywhere.

I smelled myself, and I was immediately repulsed by the odor I gave off.

(I really do need a shower, that kinda of explains why Sakuya runs as soon as she gives me food to eat.)

(It was kinda weird that Sakuya kept watching me go through my training and smiling at the same time, but why would she? She's got chores to do.)

As I trained with Meiling throughout the weeks, every exercise she put me through began to gradually get easier and easier as I get more and more used to the weights.  
The weights I have on still have an influence on me, making gravity stronger, but now I can lift my limbs up like it's not that heavy at all.

I can also fly without the headache coming to my head as it was very painful in the beginning but it began to disappear throughout the weeks, now I can fly about as half of Aya's speed with the weights on.

Meiling was in reality, worse than Captain Sobel in Band of Brothers, she is the worst drill sergeant you could ever serve under. She was very sadistic while we trained, often using the whip to get me to be better, I still have scars on my back and derriere from the crackle of Meiling's whip.

Our breaks are usually very short, I usually have to discard half of my food so that we could get on with training.

I can graze danmaku easily now, but it was at Meiling's level, and I could tell that probably won't be enough to dodge the more skilled people and youkai.

I have grown to feel danmaku as like a warning to my senses, I have gone through many waves of danmaku on purpose because of Meiling's training program, she made me grow more insensible towards the bullets she used.

But I never used my Astral Shield spell card against the danmaku, instead only against the physical blows Meiling dealt. I think Meiling did this so I would get used to the burns that would happen when the bullets contact your skin.

In fact, the card has turned into a skill card called Astral Shield Aura where I can activate it by will to greatly soften a melee move, but as of this point, it can only handle five blows at a time before I get a painful headache, meaning I should use it sparingly. It also depends on the force itself, with Meiling's blows, which are pretty strong, only five. This tells me that my shield is actually more powerful than I thought, since if Gensokyo only uses melee for combat, Meiling would rule it.

Basically, Meiling turned me into a tank.

But still, I wondered throughout training about why we never worked on me actually using danmaku.

(I may be able to handle dodging danmaku, but when canI actually make others dodge them?)

(Ah here I am.)

I arrived at the end of the hallway as I opened the door to my left.

It was a small bathroom with the end of the bathroom having a bathtub/shower combination accompanied by shower curtains while a picture of Remilia laying on a bed hung besides the bathtub.

Next to the picture was a counter sink with a mirror above it.

(She really can't get enough of herself can she? But she outdone herself. This mansion actually has plumbing.)

By common sense, I turned the knob towards the right as it meant hot water.

Then I pushed on a button next to it that said "Shower" above it as it changed from the faucet pouring water to the showerhead at the top spewing out water.

(This is one of the few modern amenities found in this mansion I bet.)

After i took off my shorts, I got into the shower and immediately felt relaxed.

(Oh god, I can practically feel the grime falling off of my skin.)

I looked down and I saw dust and green liquid going into the drain as my skin felt more cleaner and cleaner.

After I was done cleaning myself, I looked around for a towel after turning off the water.

(I guess I will go look in the sink for any towels.)

I got out of the shower, and before I opened the counter, I caught a glance of myself.

Surprisingly, my hair had stayed the same throughout the entire time, just somewhat short but messy hair.

I had no stubble at all, and I also didn't have a bush growing at all.

(Amazing, Gensokyo stopped all hair growing activities for....possibly only boys. I did remember Reimu cutting her hair, then it grew backm and you never see Rinnosuke cut his hair.)

(Oh yes where was I....getting a towel.)

I looked in the counter for any as I checked.

All I find are dishrags.

(These will do for now.)

I "dried" myself with a dishrag ignoring the hair but only on the skin.

(I always did like the wet feeling you get on your hair..)

After i was done, I put back on my shorts and headed out.

(Brr~, it's cold now? Wait I just took a shower...duh.)

I walked downstairs to the main lobby of the SDM, where Meiling was expecting me beside the doors to the Library, wearing her typical clothes and hat.

"Okay, now that you're here. Ready for what you are about to do?" eagerly asked Meiling.

"Yeah, Bring it on!" I said with enthusiasm.

I have grown enthusiastic as well to training as it was really easy.

"Okay! First, take off your weights and bandages."

(Wait! Wha?!)

(She wants me to take off my weights?)

"Huh?!"

"Just do it! Or does someone want to get disciplined?" threatened Meiling.

(You better not have that whip in your clothes.)

"Uh, No Ma'am!" I said.

I started at the ankles, they seemed to have a zipper on them.

(Where exactly did Meiling get these weights?)

I unzipped them and put them beside me.

Then I took off my gloves, unzipped the forearm and wrist weights, and put them right next to the ankle weights.

I saw I was wearing my weighted vest like a jacket, so iI just shrugged it off, then I took off my bandages.

They were easy to take off since I just went through a shower, then I discarded them next to the weights.

(Oh god, I never felt so free!)

I moved around fluidly, never having to bear the weight of something like that again.

Meiling cleared her throat to get my attention.

"Okay, so why exactly do you want me to take them off?" I asked.

Meiling smiled strangely as she walked over to me, then she put her hand on my shoulder

(Is she planning another sadistic exercise?)

"That's it! You're done!" said Meiling, cheerfully.

"What?!"

(Is she saying what I think she's saying?)

"You're strong enough to live on in Gensokyo! You don't need to train anymore!" cheered Meiling.

I looked at myself and I was surprised.

(Was it that i didn't care? Or I couldn't see through my weights and bandages? Because I am CHISELED.)

I had gained six pack abs as my body was ripped.

"Woah! I'm ripped!" I said, admiring myself.

Meiling giggled as she let go of my shoulder.

I flexed my arm muscles as my biceps were very noticeable.

"Hehehe, You're strong!" remarked Meiling.

"You know I am! So now what? I removed my weights and bandages" I asked.

"Nothing. You are free to do whatever you want. Originally I was going to test you, but at this point, it wouldn't even be a challenge to you" admitted Meiling.

(Oh yeah, time to pop the question)

"Why was it that I didn't actually shoot danmaku throughout the whole thing?" I asked.

"Dummy. You know how to shoot them. You don't need my help in it. Make your own spell cards."

"Okay?"

I heard footsteps from upstairs followed by a yawn.

"Meiling, What's going on? You're supposed to be guard.....Ken?" said a voice.

It was Sakuya who became visible in her usual french maid outfit.

She kept silent while she walked up to me, and poked my skin.

"Ken, you got so strong. Did China...." stuttered Sakuya, who pointed at Meiling.

"Yep, Meiling helped me become stronger all this time, and think of it this way. She never fell asleep when she was on the job" I said, making Meiling smile.

"You are right Ken. Chin..Meiling..thank you for being industrious in your job" thanked Sakuya.

(Even if all she does is to guard?)

"And the fact you don't...smell anymore....just makes it..and your body"

Sakuya stopped there as she looked up into my eyes with her dark red eyes, then she hugged me, tearing up.

(Huh?)

I looked at Meiling, who just shrugged her shoulders.

"Umm~, why are you hugging me?" I asked.

"Because umm~, uhh~, you stunk up the whole mansion" said Sakuya.

(That took you long. Why didn't you complain earlier about that?)

"Umm~, thanks?" I said, narrowing my eyes at her.

Sakuya let go and smiled before heading to an unknown room.

"Hey, Where are you going?" I asked.

Sakuya stopped and looked back, while blushing and brushing away her tears with her hands.

"I must go make breakfast" answered Sakuya.

I walked up to Sakuya as she blushed even more.

(Since I am free to do anything, I still want to be productive.)

"Err~, I'll help you. My mom and dad taught me how to cook" I said.

Strangely, Sakuya's face was sad for a second, then she grew elated.

"You will? What will I do?" asked Sakuya.

"Well I don't exactly know your kitchen so you need to walk me through where the ingredients are" I said, not remembering any experience of venturing into the SDM's kitchen.

Sakuya smiled at me before walking away.

"Come on, It's this way" said Sakuya.

(It's time to show the SDM residents what a good old fashioned Asian-American breakfast is!)

I cracked my knuckles to warm up my fingers.

(I haven't cooked in a while. Hopefully I haven't got rusty, or else my dad who used to be a cook at Oriental Express would be disappointed right now.)

Sakuya led me to the kitchen where there were surprisingly many conveniences that are in the modern world.

(Whoa, Microwave, Toaster, Stove, Rice Cooker, and the Refrigerator? Where exactly did Sakuya get all this stuff? I was wrong about being there a few modern amenities in this mansion.)

"Since you are from the outside world, do you know how to use these things? I know how to use the stove, rice cooker, and the coldbox.

(Cold box must be the fridge.)

"Yeah I can guide you through the whole way, but for now we are just going to use the rice cooker and the Stove" I said.

(I always loved making an omelet with rice and soy sauce.)

"Okay"

"Do you have either butter, olive oil, or cooking spray?" I asked.

Sakuya walked over to one of the counters and pulled out a canister.

"Is this it?" asked Sakuya.

I grabbed it from Sakuya and observed it.

"'Pam's No-Stick Cooking Spray.' This is perfect...do you have a skillet?" I asked.

Sakuya went to another counter and pulled out a stainless steel skillet.

"Is this a skillet?" asked Sakuya.

"Yeah it is. Just wondering, where do you get these things?"

"Kourin is always a good place for things like these. They interest me and I buy off of him whenever I have extra money from getting food from the human village" answered Sakuya.

(Oh yeah, I forgot that Rinnosuke runs a modern convenience store in Gensokyo.)

"Okay. Good so far. Sakuya where are the eggs?"

"They are in the coldbox"

(In the fridge?)

I walked over to it and opened it, looking for the eggs.

Then I found the egg cartons and inspected them.

(Woah Oh my God! Grade AA eggs? These were rare in Krogers back in Kentucky!)

Sakuya looked at the expression on my face and giggled as I was in pure excitement.

"Sakuya. This breakfast is going to be good. Do you have rice and soy sauce?"

Sakuya looked in one of the counters and took out a bottle of vegetarian soy sauce.

"Do you want me to make the rice?" offered Sakuya.

I nodded as I put the skillet on the stove.

"Wait! Check the rice cooker First!" I said, not willing to waste time.

I noticed there were two lights on a Rice Cooker. One light said it was cooking and the other said it was ready. This time, other said it was ready.

Sakuya opened the rice cooker, generating a huge amount of steam.

"Oh yes, I forgotten that i made rice overnight...so rice is good to go" checked Sakuya.

"Okay. Bring out a plate and 8 bowls with a fork in each of them" I ordered.

I grabbed seven eggs as Sakuya already put out the 8 bowls and plate with the fork.

(Huh~? Must have stopped time.)

I grabbed one of the bowls and cracked open an egg over it as I whisked the egg until it was all yellow and no clumps.

I put the stove on high as I spray cooking spray on the skillet.

After 30 seconds, the spray began hissing, meaning it's time to put the egg on it.

I slid the egg into the stove as it began cooking, while I set the stove's power to medium.

The egg was crackling but there was no grease flying out due to the eggs being grade AA.

After it was done cooking, I used the fork to put the omelet on the plate and did the same process for 6 more times before I had 7 omelets stacked on top of each other like pancakes.

Sakuya watched me cook as she just stood there and watched me flip the omelet over and over again for it be cooked on both sides.

(We're going to have to use the microwave, omelets are getting cold.)

I opened the microwave with a button. I put in the omelets and set the cooking power to 50% before setting it for 1 minute.

"Sakuya, Stop time and put Rice in the bowls, give each an equal amount" I asked.

Then it was done as soon I was finished talking.

(Talk about it being quick, the omelets still have 55 seconds left.)

I began to apply soy sauce to the rice to sweeten the rice to each of the bowls.

(Oh my god, white rice. My mouth is watering by the second.)

We simply waited for the omelets to finish.

"Umm~, Ken? Tonight, Do you want to.....go outside and watch the stars....with me, while everyone is asleep?" hesitantly asked Sakuya.

Sakuya looked down towards the floor and blushed pink while her index fingers touched and touched.

(Meh, I got nothing planned for tonight, plus it might be an opportunity to find out why was she staring at me while I trained.)

"Sure" I answered.

Sakuya smiled warmly as the ping from the microwave scared her.

Sakuya had a knife in her hand as she was about to attack the microwave when I instinctively grabbed her hand with the knife while I was behind her.

(Wow, Training really paid off. I got much better reflexes than before.)

"Relax, It means it's done" I assured.

Sakuya relaxed her arm as I let go, she put the knife in her blouse.

I opened the microwave, laid each bowl of rice and soy sauce with an omelet.

"I hope the mistress eats a bowl, you worked hard on it. She only eats sweets and tea" remarked Sakuya.

"Well this will teach her to be more humble" I said.

I smiled at my hard work.

(That brat better eat my food!)

"Okay Sakuya. Time to give the food to them.....Okay Time Stopping works too" I said.

Five bowls were already gone and probably delivered as Me and Sakuya picked up our own bowl.

"So....who's going to clean up this mess i made?" I asked.

Sakuya giggled before saying, "the maids got it."

Sakuya led me into their dining room where Patchy, Koakuma, Meiling, Remilia, and Flandre were waiting for us.

The dining room had chandeliers over the table as pictures of Remilia are all over the room with occasional appearances of Flandre.

The dining table and chairs were on the red carpet as both the table and the chairs seemed like it's made for royalty.

(Fancy. Indulgent fancy to be more precise.)

"Umm~, Is it ok for Flandre to be out?" I asked, feeling very uncomfortable around her.

"Actually recently, Flandre has been with Patchy ever since that fight with Marisa and Flandre. Apparently, Patchy made her more docile" answered Sakuya.

(Well that's good, I don't want my head to be broken.)

Sakuya bowed to her mistress before we both sat down next to each other...

"Sakuya, what is this?" asked Remilia.

Remilia picked up her yellow omelet with her fork as she grew disgusted.

"Oh, Ken made this. He says it's really good. Right, Ken?" asked Sakuya.

I didn't really listen as I was already about to put in a combination of rice and a piece of omelet.

I put it in my mouth and tasted the combination.

"Oh my GOD! I HAVEN'T TASTED FOOD THIS GOOD IN A WHILE!" I yelled exuberantly, making everyone give me a wide-eyed look.

I chewed slowly as I contently swallowed the mixture happy.

(I have truly missed white rice after my parents got all hyped up about brown rice.)

I laid back with my fork in the bowl as Meiling began to try it.

She did the same as me and made a combination, then she put it in her mouth and chewed slowly.

Without warning, Meiling dug in her bowl like there was no tomorrow.

"Ken, where did you learn to cook like this? nom nom nom" said Meiling while chewing her food.

(Well I know she's happy.)

I peered at Koakuma who noticed and began to eat what me and China already did.

After putting the combination in her mouth and chewing slowly, her eyes brightened up and quickly took another bite.

"Lady Patchouli! This dish is amazing!" remarked Koakuma.

I smiled as I took in another bite, swimming in ecstasy with the food.

Meiling had already finished and pushed her bowl aside, and then nudged Flandre who was next to her and playing with her food.

"Come on, Flandre, Try it already! It's really good!" nudged Meiling.

"Uuu~, Okay" said Flandre with a sense of defeat.

"Here."

Meiling put together the combination then put it in Flandre's mouth after almost putting in her own mouth.

"Chew...Chew" nursed Meiling.

Flandre chewed the food, then the next three seconds Flandre began acting like Meiling. She took the fork from Meiling and began scooping up the food to her mouth.

Flandre had somewhat of a drunken smile on her face as she happily eaten, with a few rice grains on her face.

"Ken. Your cooking is exquisite." complemented Patchy.

I see that Patchy ate already almost half her dish too.

(Ah. Everyone loves Asian-American Cooking, sometimes I even amaze myself.)

I smiled at the fact that the food is delicious, and everyone else is enjoying it too.

The only ones who haven't touched it are Remilia and Sakuya.

"Ken, how do you eat it?" asked Sakuya.

I quickly took another bite before teaching Sakuya, little did I know I had my mouth full when I spoke.

"Here! Ya do this"

Sakuya giggled as Flandre already finished her meal.

"Ken, I want more" said Flandre, making me smile.

"This is why you savor your meal Flan, it's more delicious when you take the time to CHEW!" said Patchy, emphasizing the last word.

Then Patchy glared at China, who looked confused.

In Sakuya's bowl, I cut out a piece of omelet, stick in some rice with the fork, then I took it out of her bowl.

"Open" I said.

Sakuya blushed as she opened her mouth, I put the fork in, she closed her mouth, and I drag the fork out of her mouth.

"Ken, It's amazing" complemented Sakuya.

Sakuya smiled at me as she chewed.

(What's with your common sense these days?)

"Well, glad you liked it, Sakuya" I said.

I patted her on the head as she seemed to have enjoyed it but felt a little embarrassed at the same time.

Now all that's left is Remilia.

But since I put my attention on Sakuya, I didn't know that Remilia already tried it, and the fact she likes it too.

"Ken....You aren't so much as a freeloader as you were" remarked Remilia.

(Umm~, Nice to know.)

Soon everyone including myself got done with the bowls, everyone was happy and sad that it was delicious but only lasted so long.

"Ken, we are going to have this for lunch and dinner. Sakuya help him" declared Remilia.

(Okay. The self-indulgent princess might not be so bad after all.)

Meiling and Flandre jumped in the air jubilant, since they were the ones that already were finished, while Patchy and Koakuma just walked back to the library.

"Yush!" cheered Meiling.

"Wahoo~!" cheered Flandre.

(Wait a second, how long was i here?)

"Meiling, How long was I here?" I asked.

"8 months. It is the sprouting month...or March..." said Meiling.

(Wait a second, I remember it was still snowing outside when I looked out a few days ago, What's going on?)

(Oh god no...a possible incident.)


	29. Perfect Blossom Chapter 1

**Yukari's POV**

"I warn you. Do not use your power" I warned.

"I will not, my friend. Don't worry. Besides, where's the fun in that?" asked an unknown person..

It was night in an unknown world as the hint of winter was devoid in this place.

A crescent moon was seen in the sky, lighting the Zen Garden where I and my friend are located.

"Good. Tomorrow, release some cherry petals into Gensokyo, so our 'friends' will have a lead" I said.

"Ok, Yukari. I will make it believable" said Anonymous.

"Good. Be ready tomorrow. I will weaken the border between Gensokyo and your world" I said.

"It will be interesting to see this boy you brought into this world, he sounds like so much fun~!" sung Anonymous.

"Fufufu, you will like him" I said, giggling.

"I think I will enjoy him when he comes to me~"

"Oh yes, I forgot to send him a little gift"

**Ken's POV**

(God.....I'm really starting to get tired of cooking the same thing over and over again. It's not as orgasmic when you eat it for the third time in the same day.)

(Our supply of eggs and rice are starting to run out, not sure about any other dish I can cook up.)

I walked away from the kitchen, getting irritated at cooking the same thing.

I decided to go take another shower, needing that great feeling again, and getting rid of the stress

(Thank god it was dinner I last cooked, hopefully, they won't want it again.)

(It's so weird how such "royalty" loves such a simple dish. Have they never tasted food from the outside world?)

(I remember that my dad could make "Buddha Jumping Wall" Oh how they would love that. It would also be nice for my family to be here with me.)

(I miss my parents.)

(If they could take up residence in the human village, it would be dandy.)

(But how could they make a living? I'm not sure if people in the human village like their nails being done in such an archaic period.)

(....They could open a restaurant! They just have to get the ingredients needed, but where?)

(There's always Kourindou, but you have to go through the Forest of Magic to get there.)

(Hehe, this will be tough to figure out. Oh, here I am.)

I arrived at the same bathroom after walking through the long scarlet hallway, the long journey apparently shortened by my pondering.

I opened the door and immediately noticed a difference.

"From: Yakumo To: Sington, it says. Yukari?" I said.

(Huh. Whatever is in here better not do anything bad to me. Damn Ramen noodles.)

I opened up the box by peeling off the duck tape, then lifting the flaps to reveal what's in the box.

The first thing I saw was denim jeans neatly folded on top of something.

(Are these my jeans?)

They were the same regular-sized jeans 30 by 30 that O always wore to school in the outside world.

(Hmm what else is in there? Was Yukari raiding my closet?)

I kneeled down as i took out the jeans and saw a thin hoodie.

The hoodie had a word on it, "Kentucky."

(Yukari has good taste, I do like Kentucky.)

I took it out and laid it on top of the jeans.

(What else is in here?)

I found a light blue Aeropostale shirt, briefs, red shorts, a green scarf, and a black beanie as I laid them on top of the hoodie.

(Was Yukari seriously raiding my clothes, because I swear I have them. I can even smell it. What the hell is this?)

I saw some sort of gun as I picked it up, it had the words, "Taser X26 Made by USA" then it had the earth with a lightning bolt over it.

(A taser? Why would Yukari get me a taser? Aren't these the ones that police officers use?)

It had another note on it, it said "Usable every two hours, projects by inscrutable wire, use wisely, -Yukari"

(So if I was given a taser, is it possible for me to use it to cancel a spell card?)

(Oh how Gensokyo will react if I have a taser handy.)

I smiled as I put it away next to the clothes.

(Oh yes, time to take a shower, after that, Let's give Sergeant Meiling a surprise.)

I evilly grinned as I went ahead and took off my clothes before taking a shower.

After I was done and waited a while drying myself by air, I donned on my new clothes, leaving out the beanie and the scarf.

(For once, I actually feel more clean and comfortable right now. The clothes I wore before must have built up a lot of grime.)

(I'll put those when I actually have to go somewhere.)

I put them back in the box as I closed it and put the taser halfway in the pocket.

(God that's big.)

I smiled evilly as I head out carrying the box, I went downstairs and put the box next to the main entrance in the main lobby.

Then I walked outside, noticing the snow on the ground.

(Crap, I'm still barefoot, I should probably just hover over it.)

And I did as I hovered over the snow to Meiling, who was sleeping on her stool with her arms crossed.

(She's a bit severely undressed don't you think?)

(Hehehehe, time for a surprise.)

I pulled out my taser and aimed it at Meiling as I prepared my finger on the trigger.

"Wakey Wakey~" I cooed.

"Meiling, you can go to sleep no-. Ken? What are you doing with a gun?" asked Sakuya.

"Shh~. I'm going to surprise her" I said.

Sakuya was still wearing her french maid outfit but with a scarf over her neck.

"You're going to kill her! Stop!" exclaimed Sakuya.

"You knife her probably every day in the head!" I protested. "Like this is going to kill her!"

(Okay, now to test if this works on youkai.)

Sakuya stopped talking and looked down, then she looked at Meiling as I pulled the trigger.

The dart came out of the gun connected by a black wire as it flew through the air before hitting and piercing through Meiling's clothes.

Immediately, the dart flashed rapidly and made a chi-chi-chi sound as Meiling apparently woke up but couldn't move.

"Hng~!" grunted Meiling while seemingly minimally going through a spasmodic state.

She made the noise like that throughout the whole time the dart was in here.

After a few more seconds, the dart got out of Meiling and returned to the gun. Meiling immediately got up and karate chopped the gun.

The gun fell to the snow on the ground, broken into pieces as I just stared at Meiling who was very angry.

"What the hell was that for?!" yelled Meiling.

"Why the hell you break my Taser!?" I argued.

(No~!)

"You basically attacked me with that thing, I was paralyzed and I couldn't do anything, but a huge shock across my body" described Meiling.

I dropped to the ground and picked up the pieces, not minding the cold on my feet

My hands shook erratically as the pieces fell.

(Goddamn it Meiling.)

Then a hand was on my shoulder as I looked up who was touching me.

It was Sakuya, who was worried while she was standing up.

I got up and breathed in and out deeply, trying to get rid of anger.

Then I looked at Meiling who had an apologetic expression on her face, sighing.

"It's okay Meiling. I only had it for a little while, but still...."

I punched her square in the jaw, which tilted her head back, then she fell back down to her stool with dazed eyes and a drunken smile.

Sakuya giggled as my fist relaxed, while I took another deep breath.

(Wow, I made Meiling unconscious? Training really did pay off.)

"You're too strong Ken" complimented Sakuya.

"Well that's what she gets for breaking something. Are we going to leave her here?" I asked, looking at the gate guard seemingly comfortable sleeping in her stool.

"She looks like she wants to continue guarding. So if she wants, she can stay there" said Sakuya.

(Hahaha Meiling, you do always sleep better on a stool probably.)

(Wait! Huh! She must have forgotten about doing Tai Chi if you're about to fall asleep. Then again, I just knocked her unconscious.)

"Well, now that we are out here, you wanted to look at the stars?" I said.

Sakuya nodded and blushed pink, looking down at me as I stood up.

"But there's snow, and I'm barefoot, where would we be at to look at the stars?" I asked.

"What about My Lady's balcony? Over the main entrance" replied Sakuya.

I looked at the mansion as i did see a balcony over the doors, an umbrella with two chairs can be seen.

"Ah. There it is, There's no snow there thanks to the umbrella. Let's go!"

(Seriously, I don't like the feeling on snow on my bare feet.)

I flew up to the balcony as Sakuya did so too, both chairs were wooden with the color of scarlet.

I took a seat and so did Sakuya, as we looked at the stars.

I relaxed and looked at the many stars in the black sky, noticing a crescent moon.

"This...is..nice, nice to unwind from anything and just...relax..but.." hesitated Sakuya.

Sakuya sighed, and looked down to her feet.

"This is bad. The winter is still going, and our winter supplies are beginning to run out."

"Well why not just go to Kourindou and the human village for more food?" I suggested.

"Rinnosuke might be struggling because of the winter too, and I don't want to go to the human village for more food..It.."

I looked up at Sakuya who had her arms crossed and kept looking down, she seems to be struggling for words.

"What? What's it?" I asked.

"It...would be inconvenient for me to ask them. I never really made friends in the village. I was cold to them. Whenever someone tries to talk to me there, I make them go away because it meant I would be late tending to the mansion and attending my lady Remilia. They would probably do the same to me, so they could feed their families" explained Sakuya.

"Then how come you acted differently towards me?" I asked, confused at Sakuya's hospitality.

Sakuya looked at me, her lips quivering, beginning to form a smile.

"To be honest, I wanted to stay on your good side. You knew my secret, so I tried to be kind to you hoping that you wouldn't try to blackmail me with the secret at first."

(Woah, paranoia at a whole new level.)

"So then if i carried your secret, why didn't you let Remilia kill me? I would have been silenced and you wouldn't have to worry about me telling it?" I said, confused.

"Because, I felt that you are the only one I could open up to. If I tried to be like that to people like in the human village, they would shun me, for I only wanted to serve my lady Remilia and food on my plate. They would shun me for the fact the most important matter to me is to make Remilia happy."

(Jeez, who am I kidding about paranoia? It's Loyalty that's way up there, but still..)

"Why would they shun you for your loyalty?" I asked.

"Remilia is a vampire. I think you know that from the incident that shrine maiden herself fixed. They feed off of blood, which people like in the human village have, and since I wish to only make Remilia happy as a human myself, they would label me as the "devil's advocate" or believe I would trap them into dying by my Mistress's hands, and Remilia doesn't mind that at all."

(That is true. I'm surprised Remilia nor Flandre didn't bite me yet.)

"Have Remilia and Flandre bitten you yet?" I asked.

Sakuya rolled up her right arm sleeve as it revealed many scars that resembled bite marks on her skin.

(Holy, at least Remilia and Flandre aren't like Yuyuko, I bet she would suck her dry even if she wasn't a vampire!)

"Many times, but I let them. I wish for my Lady Remilia and Lady Flandre to be happy.

(Loyalty Scale is probably over 9000 at this point.)

"So why haven't they bitten me yet, or Reimu?" I asked.

(Considering the visits they gave Reimu.)

"I don't know, they probably don't like your blood, and Reimu warned Remilia that the sacred blood of the Hakurei Bloodline is poison to vampires. And Remilia does not want to risk being poisoned and enduring the wrath of that powerful miko" explained Sakuya.

(Well lucky her, the lazy-ass miko can't become a vampire.)

"Then how are you not a vampire yet?" I asked.

Sakuya pointed to her neck then her arm full of bite marks.

"They could, but they would have to do it by the neck. I don't really know how that works out though, but only in the neck will they turn you into a vampire. Lady Remilia wants me to be able to function in the daylight, so she hasn't bitten me on the neck."

(That explains that one dream where Remilia was biting my shoulder, and said it was tasty.)

(....I didn't notice we got off topic...)

"So, basically what you are saying is that you don't know what to do about the low supplies in the SDM?" I asked.

Sakuya nodded, while she pulled down her sleeve.

(Reimu and Marisa are probably experiencing this too.)

(If this could possibly be the Perfect Cherry Blossom, then I know I may meet Yukari. It would be perfect to confront her.)

"Here's an idea, Reimu and even uhh~, the witch are experiencing this weather too. So we should go to the shrine tomorrow, and Reimu will know what to do" I said.

Sakuya nodded while she began to shiver.

"I will ask the mistress tomorrow, I will come to you when she gave me her answer" said Sakuya.

"Okay, are you cold?" I asked, noticing Sakuya freezing.

"Yes, I am cold. Shall we head inside?"

I nodded as we sat up from our chairs, then flew down to the entrance as we headed inside.

Sakuya shut the doors while I took off my hoodie and jeans, placing them in the box.

I yawned and raised my hands in the air as Sakuya giggled a little bit, there was barely any lighting in this room as I could barely see anything, but a dark red tint.

"I think I'm gonna go to sleep" I said, continuing to yawn.

I went ahead and walk towards the bed where I had always slept.

"Wait!" exclaimed Sakuya.

I turned around and looked at her while she was blushing and her arms were crossed standing next to the box, looking down at the floor and then looking up at me.

"There is a guest room that is free next to my room, you can put your things there, plus you don't have to worry about the maids" said Sakuya.

(That would be nice, I wouldn't have to sleep on a bunk bed.)

I walked up to Sakuya as I grabbed my box and held it at my side.

"It's pretty dark in here so you'll have to show me somehow though" I said.

"Umm~, we can hold hands" suggested Sakuya.

(I was going to suggest we lock arms but holding hands are fine too.)

I held out my right arm, and soon our hands were together, but her fingers interlaced with mine as her fingers rested on the back of my hand.

Her fingers were cold and so were her palm, elbow, forearm, and arm when they contacted my arm as my fingers rested on her palm too.

I felt a rush of heat to my cheeks, while Sakuya was flustered, who was on my right side, very close.

"Well, let's go" breathed Sakuya.

She said that quickly as I followed along while she walked.

She walked somewhat slowly as she took her time.

(This feels like, Sakuya wanted to do this for a long time.)

We went upstairs as we walked down a hallway, turned right into a hallway, walked down, then turned right again, continuing to walk down until we stopped at an end.

(And I didn't see a single bust of Remilia, thanks to the darkness, Sakuya must have remembered the path.)

She continued to hold my hand tightly as she opened a door on my right, then we went inside.

Sakuya separated the curtains from the window, letting the moonlight in, and illuminating the room.

I put my box down and looked around and spotted the bed.

It was a platform style king-sized bed with wooden support, there were scarlet pillows and a scarlet blanket to match it.

(And she couldn't get the color scarlet out of her system, but at least it isn't a futon or a bunk bed.)

I smiled and looked at Sakuya, who smiled back.

"Thank you for leading me to my room" I thanked.

She let go of my hand as her fingers left mine, and soon my arm lost contact with hers.

Then she embraced me with her arm wrapped around my neck and another one under my arm with her hand with her fingers spread out.

She rested her head on my shoulder, her head touching mine as I felt her hair and her cheek.

I was surprised as I felt her heart beating rapidly along with the pads.

My heart was beating rapidly too at this sudden embrace.

I could feel Sakuya breathing into my ear.

"You're so warm" whispered Sakuya.

(Yeah, and you are robbing me of my warmth.)

(You was unusually cold, in spring too.)

She held on for a minute before letting go.

"If you need me, my room is right across yours" said Sakuya.

Then she turned around and walked towards her room out my door, as she left me cold.

She turned around and looked at me again.

"Oh and bathroom is beside our rooms at the end" added Sakuya.

(That kinda sorta ruined the mood.)

She walked back towards her room as I continued to stare at her, opening the door as she went in and closed it, as I only saw darkness now out in the hallway.

I walked to my bed and lied down as I was instantly warmed by the scarlet blanket with my head on the soft pillow.

(Mmm...comfy..)

(Is she....)


	30. Perfect Blossom Chapter 2

**Remilia's POV**

"So then, You wish to go to the shrine with Ken to solve this long winter?" I said.

I was awake sitting up in my bed in the early morning as my eyes are half-closed, Sakuya woke me up earlier than usual.

Sakuya nodded then she bowed.

"My Lady. Our winter supplies are running out because of this prolonged winter. If we do not go to the shrine for Reimu's assistance, we may not last long" explained Sakuya.

(Ah, so that's why we only ate this bland but delicious dish Ken made.)

"Is this why Ken made us that dish?" I asked, narrowing my already narrowed eyes at her.

"I am sorry My Lady. We really didn't have enough. The faster me and Ken can stop this, the faster we can give you more dignified food, my lady" said Sakuya, bowing down again.

(Ah, such a shame.)

"How are you so sure that Ken can handle himself?" I said, doubting Ken's ability.

"I'm confident that Ken has paid off really well with the training Meiling made him go through, my lady. Plus, if something happens, I can always save him, my lady" replied Sakuya.

(Meiling has been really different while she was training Ken, she has become more diligent in trying to stay awake in her job, but that doesn't mean she's more superior than me.)

(Don't lie. You know yourself you been more lenient on your duty looking at him.)

I grinned evilly as Sakuya looked up at me calmly.

"My lady?"

"Sakuya. Find your winter clothes and head out as soon as you can. I believe Ken may be still sleeping at this time, please wake him up and watch him as you proceed to the objective. When you return, tell me everything that you and Ken went through, I am curious to see who is doing this and I wish for her power to be measured. Oh and do not worry for me. I shall take care of myself if I must" said Remilia.

(I hope I can, I never been in this 'kitchen' before.)

Sakuya bowed to me and then walked out the door.

"Thank you my lady Remilia" said Sakuya on the way.

(She left really fast, even in my presence too. And had forgotten to close the door like she usually does.)

I simply plopped back to bed as my head laid on the pillow, closing my eyes.

(Ever since we were crushed by Hakurei, I realized I need to make friends here if others are as powerful as her. I wanted Gensokyo, this strange land, to know that I am powerful, then that thought popped up in my head and was in it for a very long time.)

(I released this fog seeing as almost all people in this land don't sleep in the day. I just want to let them know who's boss! Then I was crushed in the same day I unleashed it. I did not know how she was better than me, but she was, and her friend...beat my sister. After that, Sakuya....opened up more as she was no longer the one who tried to kill me with her silver knives. She hated everyone, she was so cold, mercilessly bulls-eying my gate guard, now she became more refined and nicer ever since my defeat.)

(Was it because I was finally beaten? Fate has a strange way of working out.)

I smiled as I drifted back to sleep.

**Ken's POV**

"Come on Yuyuko. You can do it!" I cheered.

I was in a forest with many people as they cheered on for Yuyuko and a small pink sphere embodiment.

"Come on! I'm betting on you! Beat KIRBY!" yelled Ken.

Both Yuyuko and Kirby were sucking in air as they stood their ground, whoever swallows another wins.

Both had their mouths wide open as they struggled.

Yuyuko simply had her feet in the ground as she braced herself against the vacuum and Kirby did the same.

However Kirby lost as his feet picked up and immediately was coming towards Yuyuko's mouth.

I jumped up in the air as I was jubilant, while Yuyuko was on the ground wallowing in pleasure.

"Yes! I get my million dollars!" yelled Ken.

I held out my hand to a person expecting money, the person was Souljia Boy, with his very lavish and luxurious jewelry. He grumbled as he put a check in my hand.

"Next time I see ya boy, I'm gonna have a beef with you! Wifey, get the car ready!" yelled Souljia Boy.

Then he walked away, shuffling into the crowd.

"Oh he's choosing huh!? Like he can fight, he's better off singing horribly about kissing boos through the phone" I said.

"Ken, wake up~! Who are you going to fight?" yelled Sakuya.

"Huh? What?" I said, dazed.

I sat up in my bed as I woke up, Sakuya was apparently nudging me on the side as I slowly opened my eyes.

Sakuya was beside me standing, smiling while beginning to cross her arms, she was wearing her summer maid outfit when she walked away.

There was sunlight coming out of the window as Sakuya began to walk out the room.

"My lady Remilia allowed us to go to the shrine so we could investigate this, please prepare yourself. We are going to be out for long possibly" said Sakuya, before going into her room.

(Great, might as well put on my scarf and beanie.)

I got off the bed and brushed my hair with my hand.

(Well there's another great thing about Gensokyo, you never get bed hair.)

(Now I have to wait to get a wet dream to see if I get morning wood.)

I walked over to the box which was a few feet away from the bed as I opened it up.

(Eh? Why are the pieces of the taser are in here? Ah well, might as well leave them there.)

There were pieces of the taser on one side of the cardboard box while my scarf and beanie were on the other side.

(I am guessing Sakuya went ahead and tidied up the place before we head out.)

I put on my beanie past my ears and wrapped around the scarf around my neck.

(If there are two things I hate, It's how the cold suddenly makes your ears and neck hurt, gotta be prepared for that. Especially wind chill.)

I walked out the room, then I simply waited for Sakuya by her door, she was taking too long.

(God, you can't take that long, the reason why girls in the outside world take so damn long to get ready is because of make-up, there shouldn't be any in Gensokyo!)

Then the wait was too much, impatiently I opened the door to Sakuya's room.

"Why do you take so damn....oh you're ready" I said.

Sakuya had on the same outfit but she had blue colored long sleeves along with a red scarf around her neck, I noticed the stunning lack of something to cover the legs.

"Uhm~, It's winter. You need something to cover those legs" I said.

"But I don't have anything to cover them" said Sakuya.

(How the hell do you get through the winter without being cold?)

(But still, I never thought I see legs exposed like that ever since in my dream.)

I noticed her socks were scrunched up, like someone would do in the summer if it was too hot.

"What the hell are you doing scrunching up those socks?" I asked, shaking my head.

I sat down and stretched out her socks so they both reached knee level.

"Oh. I never thought of that"

(They said a blonde can be an airhead. Is it the same for gray haired and red-haired ones?)

I continued to shake my head as I stood up, disapproving of Sakuya being so air headed.

"Come on. Let's go, you seem to be prepared waiting for me" I said.

(Except I had nothing to eat and the fact you just woke me up, but I think I'll grab a bite at the Hakurei Shrine if I can.)

"Alright let's go, I forgot the way through these hallways anyway and I need you to lead me through them. Since the sun is out, we don't need to hold hands.

(Though it was kinda enjoyable last night, even if it felt uncomfortable.)

Sakuya merely giggled and walked past me, as i hurried up and followed.

Soon we were downstairs as we got through the hallways and seeing the doors open to the outside.

"Ah, Meiling woke up early it seems" remarked Sakuya.

(That doesn't seem likely, she's too lazy to be up at this hour.)

We hovered outside so we don't touch the snow.

(I hate being barefoot, so I have to fly the whole time?)

I groaned as we hovered over the frozen flowers and the gate.

I looked down and saw that Meiling was indeed outside, but she was practicing her Tai Chi.

(I think she finally listened to me, one point for Meiling, none for Sakuya.)

We went over the Misty lake as it was surprisingly not frozen due to the winter, then again we don't know that because it was covered by snow.

"That's strange, usually I would see those two fairies somewhere" I mentioned.

(Where is Cirno? She is an ice fairy, wait at this time, wouldn't Letty stop hibernating?)

I shrugged and flew over the Misty Lake.

(Wait, I feel much more lighter than when I had those weights, so how fast can I fly?)

I nudged Sakuya who looked back then kept flying in our direction.

"Here's an idea, why don't we have a race? I'm pretty sure you don't want to stay in this cold" I said, bored.

"Agreed. Let's have a little race to see who can get to the Hakurei Shrine first. This is my first race so go easy on me" said Sakuya.

(...Nah..I don't feel like it.)

"Okay, on the count of three, we go. One........Two......Three!" I counted.

I immediately concentrated and flew trying to go as fast as possible.

I felt like a bullet hurdling through the air as I could feel my cheeks flapping, but not as fast as to make a sonic boom like I could before.

(Well I wasn't as fast as before, but It's enough to get me to the Shrine fast enough.)

I looked behind me, no sign of Sakuya anywhere.

(Hahaha, She's way behind!)

In the horizon, I saw the Hakurei Shrine in the middle of snow everywhere, seeing only two figures on the ground.

(Heh, she's not here.)

As soon as I was over the Shrine's courtyard, I stopped and dive bombed towards the ground. Then I changed my angle as Gravity pushed me down.

I hit the snow with my fist and foot in the snow, now flew everywhere as I heard something.

"What was that, ze?!" said a familiar voice.

(Marisa, I never thought I would glad to hear such a voice like that, even if there were thousands of them yelling "Marisa Pile" in my dream.)

(Marisa could be a great Agent Smith!! She already wears black and white clothing and looks great in sunglasses!)

"Show yourself!" yelled another familiar voice.

(That sounds like Reimu, I bet she already used up her money.)

As the snow cleared away, I saw Marisa still wearing the same thing, but she was more pink.

(How does she survive in that in the summer? I wonder....)

Reimu was wearing the same thing she wore during the summer.

(Meh...I don't blame her...She's too ghetto.)

Both were shocked as they haven't seen me in a long time, and had scrunched up socks.

(Does nobody have to worry about getting a cold in winter?)

(Note to self: Everyone in Gensokyo possibly has no disease what so ever, not even any STDs or STIs! it would be really bad if they have the clap.)

"KEN?!" yelled Marisa and Reimu at the same time.

Marisa immediately took a step back as she looked kinda sad, while Reimu had a grin on her face.

"I see you have trained, you look a lot more bulkier than usual...how was the SDM up until this point?" asked Reimu.

(....I wish I had you as my trainer..I would rather have a lazy person than a crazy Chinese asian.)

"It was...HELL! THE GATE GUARD WAS CRAZY! SHE DRILLED ME VERY HARD...and the fact she's probably BIPOLAR!" I yelled.

(Although I'm not sure if she is bipolar or not.)

(Captain Sobel must be probably weak compared to her. Note to self:Even if there was snow around, not a good time for a Sergeant Winters joke.)

I purposefully emphasized my words earlier to get the point across to her.

Reimu raised her eyebrows and then giggled to herself...

"Eh? What's so funny, It's not fun getting yelled at by a gate guard!" I yelled, exasperated.

"The fact that Meiling trained you, and you make it sound like you get a beating from her. You must have been really pathetic" said Reimu, shaking her head.

(Oh yeah!?)

"Please, I bet you already wasted all that money that was in your shrine" I said.

Reimu stopped giggling and turned into a serious face, she was about to talk with her mouth open, then she looked down.

(Oh yeah, I went there.)

(Woo! I beat Reimu in an argument.)

"Ken?......do you still hate me?" asked Marisa.

(Nope...I got rid of my hatred of you when I made you disintegrate like over 9000 times...now I want to do the opposite.)

I held out my arms in different directions while I stood up.

"Come here!" I said, grinning.

(Oh god I sound like a pedophile, at least I don't have a porn mustache along with it.)

Marisa seemed reluctant to take a step forward, then she did after a few seconds, while I was still awkwardly holding out my arms.

(I'm pretty sure it doesn't take that long to register my words. Don't leave me hanging here.)

(....God...I think I almost turned to Remilia for a second.)

Marisa came running towards me after a few moments, then she squeezed me with her hands on my back.

"Uuu~, Ken, I'm sorry for leaving you back then" apologized Marisa.

(What? Oh. A bit too late don't you think?)

I almost didn't understand her as her voice was muffled by my clothes.

"It's okay, I forgive you. Even if you did leave me at the hands of Flandre" I said, slowly raising my voice throughout the whole statement.

"But.."

"Hehe it's fine, how come you never came to the SDM all this time?" I asked.

"Because, I thought you were still mad at me. And I had enough books from the library for me to study, ze! I studied them, learning many new things, ze!" said Marisa.

Marisa gave me more space but still held on, and looked up to my eyes, giving off a slightly cute face.

"But, are we still...you know..."

Marisa couldn't find the words to put it together in a sentence. So she instead got out of my hug and made a heart shape with her hands while looking at me.

(Just because I forgive you doesn't mean I still love you, you almost got me killed!)

(That thought felt kinda selfish in a way, even if it was justified.)

I shook my head, expecting Marisa to break down crying, but instead she shrugged her shoulders and smiled.

"I understand, I don't want to cry anymore, seeing as you were the victim. But, can we still be friends, ze?" asked Marisa.

"Of course. Just don't expect me to be your love interest or assist you in taking your books" I said, bluntly.

"Ok, ze! Just try and stop me from getting those books!" said Marisa, cocky.

(Oh she wants to dare me now to get her away from the books? Gotta love her being straightforward...Oh my god my feet are cold!)

I begin to hover over the ground, feeling my feet being bitten by the cold wind.

(Ow, that hurts...)

"Please return the books to Patchouli!" said Sakuya.

Marisa screamed really loud while making weird hand motions in the air as she was shocked that Sakuya suddenly appeared next to her, Reimu doesn't seem fazed at all.

(Holy shit where did she come from?!)

"Where were you?!" I asked, shocked that Sakuya was right behind Marisa.

"She was in the shrine, she was waiting for you to arrive" said Reimu, lazily.

Sakuya laughed while she was crossing her arms, grinning at me.

(What?! She was faster than me?)

"You made me have to wait for you Ken" said Sakuya, giggling. "You shouldn't keep a lady waiting."

"B-B-But I never saw you at all, wait a second!"

(Did she...)

"You cheater! Why exactly did you had to ruin it by stopping time and getting an unfair start?!" I accused.

I glared at Sakuya who just laughed and looked up in the air before looking at me.

"You didn't say I couldn't stop time" said Sakuya, shrugging her shoulders.

(True...)

"Yep she got you right there" remarked Reimu.

"Well next time we have a race, I will say so!" I declared.

Marisa seemed to have finally recovered from the shock when she stopped making hand motions in the air.

"Well she can have them back when I'm dead. But even then, just go ahead and try to pry it from my COLD DEAD HANDS" provoked Marisa.

Sakuya smiled evilly for a second before clearing her throat, for us to give her attention, unaffected by the provocation.

"Well, now that we are all here, since we had to wait for Ken" said Sakuya.

She blinked at me with her right eye before continuing, making me ball my hands into fists.

(Don't tempt me..)

"Reimu. What do you think about this prolonged winter?" asked Sakuya.

Reimu grinned, she seemed to already have her answer.

"Well, I am tired of having this unnatural weather. Marisa came to me recently saying she saw a cherry petal float down by her house, so Spring is probably happening somewhere else. Sakuya said her supplies are running out at the SDM, so we need to work fast. This blizzard seems to be getting worse. So I suggest we split up in pairs. We will meet back here once we check our designated areas. Ken and Marisa, check the forest of magic for anything. Me and Sakuya will follow you and then keep going forward to check around the border.

I nodded as Marisa went to my side, and smiled.

"I guess we're together again, Ken, daze!" cheered Marisa.

(Don't get any ideas.)

I swear I saw Sakuya's eyes go red for a second before they turned back to normal as she looked at us.

"I understand. Let's hurry and go" said Sakuya.

(Well, At least we know we will all be together instead of just one person going out to solve the incident of Perfect Cherry Blossom.)

"Okay, let's go. I can fly too so I won't need any help" I said.

We all flew up in the air against the blizzard as we all headed towards the forest of magic.


	31. Perfect Blossom Chapter 3

**Ken's POV**

We were flying in the air while we all looked down on the ground below us, inspecting it for any suspicious activity.

I was with Sakuya, Reimu, and Marisa.

Marisa was next to me while Sakuya was with Reimu, we were divided into pairs to help search.

"So Ken, how many spell cards do you have, ze?" asked Marisa.

(Oh yeah, only two, considering the fact my other spell cards disappeared.)

"Two" I said.

Marisa and Reimu both looked at me in disbelief.

"Are you saying you never worked on making any spell cards all this time?" asked Reimu.

"Don't blame him, Meiling was enough for him. I don't think he had time to think of any" said Sakuya.

(She made me like a freaking tank.)

"That's right, however, I had to get used to being hit by bullets, now the pain from them has dulled away" I remarked, proud of the sadistic and harsh training I been through.

"Are you saying you can take on a large amount of bullets before losing out? What kind of training did you went through?" said Marisa.

"The kind that makes you resistant to everything" I responded.

I looked over to Marisa who was grinning evilly for some reason.

"What are you smiling about?" I asked, suspicious.

(Because that doesn't look right.)

"Nothing. Oh hey, if you want your sword back, it's at my house" said Marisa.

(Nah, I rather not. The spell cards I had with it were lame.)

"You can keep it, I don't need it" I said.

"Okay, if you say so" said Marisa.

"Well Ken, you better think up some fast, because we are about to split up" said Reimu.

"Eh~?"

(What? You expect me to think up something that quick?)

Then quickly Reimu sped away forward into the horizon, while Sakuya soon caught on and disappeared.

(I never thought Sakuya would abuse time stopping just to keep up with someone.)

"Well, let's go look, ze!" said Marisa.

(Right.)

I looked around vigilantly for anything as we flew over the forest of Magic.

Thankfully, I could tell it was the Forest of Magic due to two houses covered in snow being seen.

Suddenly Marisa jerked to a stop, looking at her house.

(Eh~, what's the sudden hold up?)

"Wait here above the trees, I forgot some spell cards and my options at my home" said Marisa.

She quickly flew to her home while I stood here waiting in the air.

There was no wind around here as the snowflakes slowly glide to the ground.

I laid back and began spinning around in the air, with no headache.

(Haha, this is nice. Just spinning around in the air. Wait what was that?)

As I spun around, I saw a distant figure in a blue dress quickly coming closer.

I stopped spinning and inspected the figure.

She had aqua-colored eyes, aqua-colored hair and icicle-shaped wings. She's wearing a blue ribbon, light pink blouse, a maroon scarf around her neck, and a blue jumper dress over the pink blouse.

(Cirno...)

"You! I remember you! You had to be here to ruin the most perfect winter!" yelled Cirno.

(I'm surprised you did remember me...idiot....and I never did anything about the winter.)

"I won't be so easy this time! I'm going to freeze you!" threatened Cirno.

(Okay then, I won't be so easy then either.)

I braced myself in the air as I put my feet apart and intently focused on Cirno.

"Frost Sign! Frost Columns!" declared Cirno.

(Ehh?! Not even Icicle Fall? I don't remember this spell from PCB.)

Cirno extended her right hand...then out came a small snowy mist ball from Cirno's hand as it made 3-way icicles rapidly firing my direction from the icicle.

(What kind of spell is....oh SHIT!)

I saw a wave of very close icicles approaching me fast as the mist ball made two-way waves in its direction along with the air solidifying around the mist ball turning into icicles forming columns east, west, and as the mist ball moves, it made an icicle path, then it dissipated halfway towards me.

Cirno made more of those icicle making mist balls as I maneuvered past the mess the first mist ball already made.

I almost got hit in the face, the arm, and my bare left foot as I grazed more and more.

(Shit.....I need to cancel this quickly. But how can I fight back with all this?)

Everywhere around me was white and blue icicles as they zipped past me.

(Ok then. Wait a minute, she's one of the weakest characters in the touhou world. If she can make all this, then.)

(Shit, that means that anyone else would be way harder than this!)

(Come on Ken...Think....Think..)

(Let's try beating numbers with accuracy!)

After getting past the columns of ice in front and east of me, I extended my hand outwards and made four globes that went forward in a spiral formation.

They made somewhat of an empty path as they absorbed icicles but that wasn't enough, but they did make it to halfway where Cirno is.

(Okay, I found some space. If I could make enough space around me, I could whip out my one spell card.)

I kept dodging the assault Cirno kept up as I extended my hands outwards into the left and right of me.

(Now I'm the one who looks like I'm getting crucified, damn it Rumia.)

Then I kept moving them from front to side alternating direction each time it reaches either the front or the side.

In doing so, I made little white with blue outline bullets in the hundreds as they moved forward rapidly.

(They aren't good enough to get to Cirno themselves, but its good enough for two of them to cancel out an icicle together.)

Then I had room around me as the leftover icicles either were in a different direction or behind me.

(I need to stop this....NOW~!)

I took out my spell card from my pocket as I held it up.

"Seeker Sign! Ambush!" I declared.

(Holy crap, that's a lot. Wait a second, what are the globe bullets doing?)

15 globe bullets spread out all over me from the sides as the formation was uneven and spaced out, then they rushed towards Cirno.

Only 10 of them made it out of the icicles as the last of the hundreds of the little white blue outlined bullets are seen.

Cirno merely cocked her head from side to side as she dodged all of them.

"Haha~, You idiot!" jeered Cirno.

(Don't get so cocky now.)

As they wind up behind her, they suddenly became white discs that suddenly changed direction and rushed Cirno.

Fortunately, Cirno wasn't aware of this and immediately canceled her spell card and all its bullets when she was hit from behind by 10 discs.

She fell to the ground as the last one hit her and made a loud thud sound.

(That's right! Don't mess with me!)

(And surprisingly, no headache. I haven't even used danmaku for a long time up until now.)

I immediately heard a door shut as I turned around, following the sound.

It was Marisa, who recently got out of her house and flew up, eventually ending up right next to me.

"Sorry for the wait, ze!" apologized Marisa.

"Oh it's okay" I said, falsely grinning.

(Even though I had trouble fighting off a certain idiot.)

"Well I got all of my cards, let's keep searching" said Marisa.

We continued to look around as I was almost winded from Cirno's attack.

(I need to be more creative in danmaku battles.)

We looked low in the trees and high in the sky as Marisa are starting to get irritated for not being successful trying to find the source.

As we fly up in the sky, We saw another house in the forest.

"Hey, Who's house is that?" I asked.

"That's the mean doll lady's house" said Marisa, reluctantly.

(Alice, no wonder she's so mean at this time.)

"Hey, She might be the cause of all this. You never know what she might do with those dolls.

"You're right! It's like she's trying to hide something. Let's go!" yelled Marisa.

(I was being sarcastic but okay.)

(God damn, I swear my feet are going to get frostbite..)

I looked at my feet, they felt really numb.

"Brr~! This is Ridiculous! What the hell are we doing? We're about to raid someone's house!" I yelled, exasperated.

"And do you know why you are out here?" interrupted someone.

Me and Marisa immediately turned around to see who it is.

It was someone who had lavender eyes and curly pink hair. She's wearing a blue and white dress, with a golden lapel resembling the alchemical symbol for silver. She is also wearing a white cap and a nearly transparent cape. She was at a distance between us as she hovered at the same altitude.

(She looks familiar, I know she's supposed to be known for being fat.)

"Yes I do. To get rid of this damn winter" I said, bluntly.

"Ah. The winter is little bit more longer. Are you also a lost soul?" asked the unknown person.

(Little bit, I say it's a lot more than that, lost soul?)

"Nah, I'm just an ordinary person with feet about to lose out on me" I said, sarcastically.

(Why did Yukari never get me shoes? I want shoes.)

"Poor thing. Done in by the cold" said the unknown person.

"So it seems. Isn't it supposed to be the time right now where we nap under trees?" I asked.

(Just like I don't like school cutting into my summer, I don't like winter cutting in my spring.)

"The winter is indeed long this year. I also want a long, deep, carefree sleep" said the unknown person.

"Wait a second. It'll kill you if you sleep in this cold" I said.

(Who would sleep in this cold anyway?)

(You must be insane for wanting to sleep outside with a winter like this.)

"Don't worry, indeed I'll make sure you'll get a deep sleep too" said the unknown person, implying a threat to me.

I looked at Marisa, who was getting her options that were circles with stars in them out.

(Well then if it's a fight you want, a fight you will probably get.)

I braced myself on the ground as the unknown person pulled out a spell card and simply let it glide away into the ground as she declares it.

"Cold Sign "Lingering Cold!" declared the unknown person.

She moves around slowly as she lets out large arcing formations of small teal circle bullets lead by a large teal circle bullet aimed at us as a sigil appears behind her.

Then they just stopped in space as Marisa fired at her with her illusion spark.

Her options and herself emit white glowing lasers which slowly fade in and out as she stood still, awaiting for her bullets to come, while firing at her.

Then they just stopped a short distance from her, making me befuddled.

(What is she planning? Does she not want to attack us?)

They just stood there while she seemed to grin.

Then suddenly, the formations suddenly spread out into a horizontal wave as now the large bullet was behind the wave as it continued to move forward at a fast pace.

(Woah, that was quick. But luckily it left large gaps for me to go through, if it were just one formation.)

The waves overlapped one another as they made large gaps seem smaller and smaller.

(Well, crap, but Meiling taught..er...pummeled me better than that.)

I quickly moved side to side barely grazing the teal bullets to not lose energy while the unknown person suddenly disappeared in a white fog.

(What the? where she go? is she gonna go ninja on us?)

Then as the fog disappeared, out came many small blue circles that seemingly popped out, then came towards me and Marisa rapidly randomly.

While the fog disappeared, she appeared in a different place in front of us, as she let out more formations of teal bullets.

(I really need to move up quickly and get past all these bullets . But what about that fog she keeps making.)

I kept dodging as I cocked my head to the side, stepped backwards, leaned right, moved my arm, and ducked...

"Love Sign! Master SPARK!" declared Marisa.

(Oh thank goodness.)

I heard that familiar whir, as a white and large beam zipped past me dangerously close to my left as I felt like I was gonna be singed.

(I wonder. If I put my feet to the spark, will it be warm?)

I looked at the assailant, who luckily canceled her spell card as the spark was currently burning her.

(Okay, let's try that.)

I put up my feet to the spark.

(Oh god, my feet feels so much better now, so warm and toasty.)

(Now that I am thinking, I should go ahead and think of another spell card.)

I had a drunken smile while putting up my feet close to the spark, careful not to get it too close.

Then after about three seconds, the spark turned into a small beam, then it stopped, as the person looked charred.

"......"

She stood in silence for a few seconds before reaching in her dress with her charred hand.

(More? You just took a spark head on!)

She pulled out a spell card that was sorta burnt too.

"Winter Sign "Flower Wither Away!"

Then in her circle, she drew lines of dark blue 'arrow' bullets in different directions quickly that resembled a pentagon made of arrow bullets.

Then the arrow bullets curve downwards, even the ones pointing directing towards the person curve towards us.

(Oh god...drawing that was for no point at all.)

Then she randomly let out 8-way spread blue circle bullets towards us.

Quickly, she keeps drawing the pentagram barrage as we were kept busy.

Quickly, I cocked my head right to dodge a bullet, then to the left, then right, as I kept alternating until my head hurt. Then a bullet hit me on the forehead.

(Gah, But at least it doesn't hurt as much.)

I was quickly pushed back to where Marisa was, keeping up her illusion spark.

(I wonder, why don't I have some "regular" attack or whatever? Isn't the whole point of danmaku is to fire and forget?)

I got the idea in my head while grazing as Marisa kept up the fire while easily grazing.

But then suddenly the bullets all disappeared, I looked at the assailant who seemed to be bringing her streaking orbs close to her and become more densely packed.

(What is she planning?)

She took out another card that seems to be slightly burnt as well.

"White Sign "Undulation Ray!"

(I never heard of that spell card before!)

The streaking orbs spin around her. As they streak, they made icicles coming out it, then they appeared to "rain" at us.

However, the streaking orbs spun about 3 revolutions per second around her, while many icicles came out, giving a constant barrage.

But luckily, this was an easy challenge, as there was only raining random icicles to deal with.

"Ken, I just noticed" said Marisa, sounding relaxed and unhurried.

(Huh? It's that easy to keep up a conversation?)

"I noticed that my illusion spark could hit her even when it's not on her. Look at her, ze!" yelled Marisa, pointing at the assailant.

I looked at her, and I did notice she has a larger hitbox than normal.

(Wait, who has a hitbox like that? .......LETTY!)

(Oh god, no wonder she hibernates in every season except Winter.)

After about like 3 minutes, the illusion spark had its affect and the icicles disappeared.

Letty was looking tired and somewhat angry at the same time....

She slowly reached in her dress with her hand.

(What? She has more?)

(You can't possibly survive more than that for a Stage 1 boss.)

She took it out while she was panting heavily.

"Mystic Sign! Table Turning!" declared Letty.

(Not sure how you can have a card that turns the tables on us.)

(Exhausted, are you? I'm surprised that card has nothing to do with winter at all!)

Quickly she made a desperation attack, as she randomly throws out many arrow-shaped arrows.

(Woah holy crap, would this be on par with Diamond Blizzard?)

(The fact that it is also ice-related. Are people running out of ideas already?)

(Then again, Cirno isn't really supposed to be on her level, plus Diamond blizzard is too slow to be on par with this spell.)

(No wonder Cirno seems to be bumped down in this adventure.)

As we relied now on our reflexes instead of anticipation on dodging and grazing, she began to also dish out 6-way densely packed blue arrows.

(Okay, this needs to end quick.)

I took out my skill card, thinking about rushing in and punching Letty out.

But then out of the blue, an arrow hit my arm, causing me to drop my card into the snow before i could declare it.

I became too frustrated to simply just pick it up as it irritated me in the first place.

(Grr~, I need...something...to hit her!)

I kept on grazing, but I want to end this quickly, I begun to have many close calls with icicles.

Swiftly, a spell card appeared in my right hand as I instinctively read it and held it up.

"Split Sign Splitting Beam!" I declared.

I held out both of my hands and put them together in some kamehameha pose.

Then out came a tiny beam from in between the palms of my hands.

Letty didn't care and kept shooting, but the tiny beam was nullifying the bullets it hit right in front of me.

It suddenly grew to where my fingers are at, making somewhat of a narrow spark, only that familiar whir wasn't there.

Letty canceled all her bullets as she began to be pushed back by the spark, trying to hold out her hands against the force of the spark.

I slowly moved the palms apart as I made two sparks the size of my hand, splitting it.

The sparks split again into fiery balls as they move off to the side, but before that, they unleashed a blue single shot for each ball at Letty.

Letty couldn't take it anymore and had the same fate as Cirno and began to fall.

I stopped the spell card, trying to take in what i just did.

(I know that move, I remember it in some of my dreams while I was training, only I wasn't using it.)


	32. Perfect Blossom Chapter 4

**Omniscient-Third POV**

It was snowing hard in the land of Gensokyo as Sakuya, Reimu, Ken, and Marisa split up into two pairs.

Ken and Marisa were supposed to investigate the Forest of Magic for anything related to the blizzard.

While Reimu and Sakuya are going to check the border for anything wrong.

However, thanks to the blizzard of Gensokyo, Reimu and Sakuya appear to be lost and have no clue where they are going.

They are flying aimlessly through the sky as they looked around for any sign of unusual activity.

"Reimu, Do you know where we are going?" asked Sakuya.

"(I wish I had an answer to that...)" thought Reimu.

"Umm~ of course I do, we just need to keep going a little bit more further to the border" said Reimu.

"But all I see is nothing but cherry petals and snow. Are you sure?" asked Sakuya.

"Just bear with me...I know what I am doing" said Reimu.

"(I hope..)" thought Reimu.

After five minutes, the two are still flying aimlessly in the sky, with Sakuya beginning to get irritated.

"Reimu, My patience is wearing thin" said Sakuya.

Reimu didn't look at her, but only kept looking forward.

"Um..."

"(I'm pretty sure we should have been at the border by now. What the hell is....What's that?)" thought Reimu.

"Sakuya, look over there somewhere in the west" said Reimu, focusing on something faint in the distance.

Sakuya's eyes merely peered left as she saw something strange in the distance.

"(She's right. There's something over there.)" thought Sakuya.

Sakuya put up her hand above her eyes and placed it in between her forehead and eyes while squinting.

"(Is that....grass?)" thought Sakuya, surprised.

"Oy! I think I see a village. There's grass?" said Reimu, also surprised.

"(That's weird, the village seems to be untouched by the prolonged winter.)" thought Reimu.

As Reimu described, there was a village to their west as they saw wooden houses and grass, snowflakes still fell in the village but seems to have melted quickly.

As they got closer to the village, they see that there was a fine line between the snow and the grass, like it was separated by a border.

The two crossed it and they found the air surprisingly warmer than on the other side filled with snow, making them sigh with relief.

Immediately they were granted with clearer vision, as there isn't a fog to impede their sight unlike outside the village.

"(It's warm. How is this untouched?)" thought Reimu, confused.

Reimu hovered close to the ground, getting close to a well with houses in a circle surrounding it, with a sign that said, "Mayohiga."

The houses were Chinese style with slanted and curvy roofs, while there was no foundation under the homes, the walls were wooden, and there were windows with the shutters painted red.

"(Mayohiga? I have heard of this village, do people live here?)" thought Reimu, remembering the village from various rumors she heard before.

Sakuya stayed up in the air and continued to look around in her surroundings.

"(A village? that's hasn't been touched by snow. Well I see snow falling to the ground, but they seem to melt as soon as they land.)" thought Sakuya, observing the grass closely.

"Hello? Anyone?" called out Reimu.

Reimu sat on the well's stone lining, awaiting any responses from anyone. She looked at the houses as their doors were closed and their windows were closed with shutters.

"(Nothing? Is this a ghost town?)" thought Reimu, doubting the rumors.

"I don't think anyone lives here. I see no one from up here" said Sakuya, having observed the village.

Reimu sighed, standing up on the grass, which was littered with cherry petals, while snowflakes fall to the ground, with no snow apparently on the roofs either.

"You're probably right. But, who would be maintaining this border?" asked Reimu, puzzled at the lack of residents.

"(If there's a magical barrier that's preventing the winter to affect this place, wouldn't you need a person to maintain it? This seems to be a ghost town, but there's got to be someone around. Someone who could give me some of their riches)" thought Reimu, suddenly getting greedy.

"After all, if no one lives here, how would there be no snow in here at all? Except for the snowflakes.

"You are right. Plus, strangely I see cherry petals everywhere on the ground, but I see no blooming sakura trees, what's going on?" said Sakuya.

Suddenly, the doors on the homes banged open as there was only darkness visible in the homes inside.

Sakuya quickly looked down at where Reimu is and prepared her knives in her hands with a knife in between each finger.

Reimu hovered on the ground as she had her gohei in one hand and ofuda in the other, with a battle-ready expression.

"Ok. Come out!" yelled Reimu, bracing herself for any possible ambush.

As Reimu expected, something came out of the houses, but they weren't what Reimu expected.

Instead, what came out of the houses wasn't people but transparent bubbles.

Bubbles floated slowly out of the houses as Reimu began to relax but kept alert, observing the floating bubbles.

"(What are these? Are they lost souls?)" thought Reimu.

The bubbles floated to a stop as they slowly turned into the color of yellow.

Sakuya observed this and began to feel apprehensive.

"(Something is happening. I should warn Reimu.)" thought Sakuya.

But before she had the chance to do so, the bubble popped and appeared a youkai that fired a five-way wave of danmaku bullets before disappearing.

Very soon, the other bubbles popped and did the same, showering Reimu with bullets.

Sakuya tried throwing her knives at the youkai, but they disappeared before the knives could have an effect, now pinned to the ground.

Reimu quickly grazed the bullets and flew up to meet up with Sakuya.

"Well, we know this town isn't vacant" confirmed Sakuya.

"Okay, then we should go ahead and fly over the village, those "bubbles" may try to attack us from down there" said Reimu.

And she was right, for bubbles appeared below them, and soon they turned yellow.

The two braced themselves as Reimu prepared her yin-yang options and fired indiscriminately with her homing amulet, which fired small, weak blue homing ofuda.

The ofuda simply went past them as they continued on in the direction they were going.

"(What the? They just go right through them!)" thought Reimu.

"This is why you use knives to pop them prematurely Reimu" said Sakuya.

"(Just watch me. For my lady Remilia!)" thought Sakuya, a sense of confidence came to her.

She grinned as she prepared her knives and threw many of them with a hint of pride.

But then they just went through the bubbles like the ofuda as they disappeared into the distance.

Reimu facepalmed as Sakuya was shocked to have proved herself wrong.

"Yeah you're cool" said Reimu, shaking her head.

"Nyah~!"

A loud cry shook the land as the two were surprised and looked around.

"Eh? Who was that?" said Reimu, peering left and right.

"(Did I hit something?)" thought Sakuya, looking around.

The bubbles popped but instead of a youkai coming out, only 5-way bullet columns came out as they popped.

But the only thing that Reimu and Sakuya had to do was cock their head a few times.

Then out came a figure from a distance, hovering at Reimu's and Sakuya's altitude.

She has dark orange eyes, short brown hair, and is wearing a green mop hat. She also has cat ears, with a gold earring in the left one, and two tails while wearing a red and light pink outfit with gold trimming she has long red fingernails along with a knife stuck in her forehead which is otherwise covered with bangs...

"Oh, so that's where the knife went" said Sakuya, feeling relieved.

Reimu began to sweat since Sakuya's knife managed to hit a cat in the forehead.

Sakuya sighed as she withdrew more knives out of her blouse.

"With a village like this in the middle of a winter, It really ought to be spring by now, or maybe I'm just going crazy" said Sakuya.

"In that case, you'd better ask a human for help!" said the figure in the distance.

"But the one next to me is clueless and you're not a human" replied Sakuya.

Reimu glared at Sakuya in a stupefying way.

"Well, I wouldn't have an answer even if you'd asked me" said the cat.

"In days like this, cats are supposed to docilely curl up beneath a kotatsu" said Sakuya.

[Author's Notes: Kotatsu is a table with a blanket on top and a heat source underneath.]

"You shouldn't believe such superstitions!" yelled the cat, irritated at Sakuya.

"(I didn't know it was just a superstition.)" thought Sakuya, not needing the extra information.

"Okay then, What are stray cats to do, then?" asked the cat.

"Why not get put to sleep at an animal shelter? The Buddhist Paradise is warm, they say" said Sakuya, coldly.

The unknown cat-like person became enraged and threw the knife in her forehead towards Sakuya, who merely caught it and put it in her hand with the other knives and bowed.

"Thank you"

"Humans? Posing a threat to us? Impossible, impossible, impossible! To think that you would oppose us" growled the cat.

"(How troublesome for a cat-lady.)" thought Sakuya.

"I, for one, would like to give it a try" said Sakuya.

"(You must be incredibly cocky today to say that to a nekomata aren't you?)" thought Reimu, shaking her head at Sakuya.

[A/N: According to Japanese folklore, a cat that has lived for a long time can become a kind of youkai called a nekomata. It was believed that after a cat reached ten years of age, its tail would slowly split into two tails, and, along the way, it would develop magic powers, primarily those of necromancy and shamanism.]

The unknown figure reached in her outfit for a spell card, then she pulled it out, holding it up high and proud.

"Wizard Sign! Phoenix Egg!" declared the cat.

Then randomly around her, she made five small circular explosions of 'arrow' danmaku as they spiral outwards from their position, some of the explosions are red and the rest of the explosions are orange.

Reimu began shooting homing ofuda while Sakuya just keeps throwing knives at her while grazing.

After the arrow danmaku no longer resembled circles, the unknown person made a new set of circular danmaku explosions randomly around her.

"(Okay, this is really easy to dodge. Especially after dealing with her Mistress)" thought Reimu, quickly glancing at Sakuya for a second.

Reimu thought about Remilia, who is significantly harder than the cat in danmaku prowess, then quickly raised her leg to dodge an incoming bullet.

Soon, both Reimu and Sakuya's regular attacking while dodging took a toll on the unknown cat lady after ending her current spell card. However, she pulled out another one as soon as Phoenix Egg ended.

"Wizard Sign! Phoenix Spread Wings!" declared the cat

Then it was basically the same thing as Phoenix Egg except the colors with green and blue and instead of just 'arrow' danmaku, they are columns of 'arrow' danmaku.

"(There isn't really any variety with her cards so far, it's going to be easy if it's this repetitive.)" thought Sakuya, not putting any real effort in grazing.

But then the pace quickened as the cat lady kept making random danmaku explosions without stopping.

"Sakuya! Finish it! This is getting boring!" yelled Reimu, who is simply standing place barely moving her limbs to graze the bullets.

Sakuya nodded as she pulled out one of her own spell cards in her outfit.

"Illusion Sign Killer Doll!" declared Sakuya.

Then Sakuya let go of her spell card while putting both hands in her outfit.

She threw her hands out quickly as a circle of twirling knifes appear around Sakuya.

Sakuya snapped her fingers as the knives rushed to the cat lady with great speed.

Some knives were dispelled by the arrow danmaku, but nonetheless were delivered indiscriminately to the nekomata's body.

Her spell card stopped as the knives were embedded in her chest, leg, arms, and her forehead, as the arrow danmaku disappeared.

"Nyah~!" screamed the cat lady.

Then she ran off into the distance while trying to take off the knives on her body. Soon, out came bubbles from behind her that begun to turn yellow.

"(Ah, more bubbles. Why can't we hit them again?)" thought Reimu.

Both Reimu and Sakuya readied themselves to dodge and graze the impending danmaku explosions.

Then more and more bubbles floated from the houses as they surrounded Reimu and Sakuya in a circle.

At the same time, they all turned yellow, ready to turn into an explosion.

"Reimu! Use that spell you used against me before!" yelled Sakuya, remembering the fight between her and Reimu.

"(That barrier? In this case, I should.)" thought Reimu.

Reimu took out a card from her dress and laid it down to the same level as her feet as it began to make a circle with japanese symbols.

"Barrier Sign! Duplex Barrier!" declared Reimu.

Then red Kanji appeared around the edges of the circle as Reimu placed some ofuda on the circle.

The ofuda began to float in the air as the bubbles are about to explode.

Sakuya grinned as she was in the circle right next to Reimu, who was chanting something at a fast pace.

"(....She stopped my Killer Doll with this.)" thought Sakuya, grinning.

Sakuya remembered more of her battle with Reimu back at the SDM when Reimu used the same barrier to avoid getting hit by knives.

"(I haven't met Ken then, and now I'm glad I do. Ever since Reimu came to finish _their_ job.)"

The bubbles exploded each resulting in a large circular danmaku explosion.

But then the ofuda turned yellow and bigger as they surrounded Reimu and Sakuya in a circle as they stacked on top of one another to shield the two.

After all the danmaku is gone, the barrier is canceled by Reimu, making the ofuda disappear.

Reimu held a thumbs up while she panted lightly, giving off the feeling that she's slightly winded.

"Let's...chase..that....cat...she may....have..something...to..do..with this winter" said Reimu, somewhat exhausted.

Sakuya nodded and they both flew over the ground in search of the cat lady, until she popped up from beside them, with all the knives removed leaving lacerations on her body.

"This is the end for you!" threatened the cat lady.

"(My turn to talk.)" thought Reimu.

"Huh? End? End of what?" said Reimu, feigning ignorance.

"The end of wanderers like you. You can't leave once you wander in the village of Mayohiga" said Reimu.

"Is that so? By the way, I hear that Mayohiga's items give you good fortune if you take them home" said Reimu, hoping the rumor is true.

"Yeah, that's true" confirmed the cat lady.

"(Seriously? I need some good fortune back home! I don't want to have to keep digging up snow for grass to use with tea.)" thought Reimu, becoming greedy while a "cha-ching" ringed throughout her head.

"Then let the plundering begin!" exclaimed Reimu, exuberant.

The cat lady looked confused for a second as she looked at Reimu in disbelief.

"Uh...What?" said the cat lady.

Then she registered the words Reimu said, becoming very angry.

"This is our home! Get out of here now!" yelled the cat lady.

"(Didn't she just say we can't leave?)" thought Reimu, confused.

"So what happened to 'You can't leave once you wander in'?" asked Reimu.

The cat lady got really irritated with her tails frozen in mid-air as she brought out another spell card.

"Yin Yang! Large Pentagram Crest!" declared the cat lady.

Then a circle with an insignia as its border appeared behind her.

She literally flew with great speed in the circle eventually making a pentagram, at each point there is a large circular blast of arrow danmaku alternating between the colors of teal and light purple, then she randomly sprayed out blue circle bullets while the arrow danmaku moved.

Then she began to charge up a little bit with red energy flowing to her, making the arrow danmaku spiral instead halfway through in the distance between the two and the cat lady, making the arrows weave in through each other making it tricky to read and bypass.

She began making another pentagram as the arrows moved towards the two indirectly after a few seconds.

"Oof!"

Sakuya withstood a hit by one of the blue bullets the cat lady sprayed and was pushed back.

"(Those aren't helping!)" thought Sakuya, getting irritated.

Sakuya and Reimu responded by throwing more knifes and ofuda as they heard a high hum a minute later, indicating the spell card is about to be broken.

Then bullets disappeared as the ofuda struck the cat lady in the head, canceling her spell card.

Instantly the cat lady took out another one from her outfit.

"Heaven Sign! Immortal Sage's Rumbling!" declared Chen.

Then she went into the fetal position as she began to speed across the air to her left, leaving arcing bursts of round danmaku.

A second later, she came from the right as she left more arcing bursts of round danmaku in her trail.

After that, she went towards Reimu and Sakuya, who dodged to their respective directions as the cat lady ended up in between them, but instead of leaving arcing bursts of round danmaku, she left circular bursts of round danmaku as each bullet came straight from the center of their own individual circle.

Sakuya looks behind and sees that the cat lady is going to try to collide with her.

Sakuya flew up as the spinning nekomata ended up below her, unleashing bursts of circular danmaku in her wake.

Then she stopped at a spot she's always been in the air and just stays still for a second while charging up.

The danmaku that is left in her wake turned into small white bullets as they plummeted towards the two.

Reimu simply cocked her head to the side while dancing a little bit with her legs to dodge the small bullets, while Sakuya did the same.

The cat lady assumed the fetal position again after a few seconds and began to charge towards Sakuya letting out arcing bursts.

"(Nope, not this time.)" thought Sakuya, making a devious smile.

Sakuya immediately stopped time as she flew over to the cat lady's position.

Then she throws knives that are frozen towards the nekomata until the knives completely surround her.

"(I really need more knives to throw around. Maybe Rinnosuke has more knives for me to play with.)" thought Sakuya.

She snapped her fingers after being at Reimu's side again, unfreezing time.

The cat lady was able to move again, but she ran into some knives instead on all sides.

"Nyah~!" screamed the cat lady.

She screamed as she canceled her spell card and looked like someone performed acupuncture with large kitchen knives on her.

Reimu took one good stare at her and burst out laughing, while Sakuya tried to stifle her laugh.

"Geez Sakuya. You really did it this time" said Reimu between laughs.

"Well, she's starting to irritate me with that incredibly stupid move" replied Sakuya, indirectly insulting the cat lady.

"Say, does that well have water in it and a bucket?"

Sakuya checked the well by looking in it and nodded, already getting a bucket of water.

Reimu grinned and pointed at the acupuncture'd cat.

"Well, I'm getting tired of fighting this cat lady too. I wonder if she likes water" said Reimu, grinning.

"You're too cruel Reimu" said Sakuya, trying to stifle her laugh again.

"Unlike your mistress? Plus, she's getting in my way to get things" said Reimu, thinking about stealing goods from Mayohiga.

Sakuya twitched at the thought of her mistress being cruel, even though she is in a very obnoxious way.

"Please don't say bad things about My Lady!" said Sakuya, narrowing her eyes at Reimu.

"Hello~!"

Both Reimu and Sakuya look at the cat lady as she already took off the last of the knives, but grimaced in pain due to the many small cuts on her.

She weakly took out a spell card barely without twitching in pain.

"Uuu~, Wizard Sign! Incarnate Immortal Sage!" declared the cat lady.

"(Are all those spell cards related to some unknown wizard? It can't be Mima I know that.)" thought Reimu.

The cat lady fired out four streams of danmaku rotating around her in a thick line-ish pattern, with two sets of two streams of danmaku on opposite sides of her while quickly prorating, she kept up the assault while alternating between red and blue colors.

The both quickly began to dodge and fire back except for Sakuya who was encumbered by the bucket of water.

"Now would you kindly stop time and put this bucket of water you have on her?" said Reimu, diabolically smiling.

"(Simply too evil, you know cats hate water.)" thought Sakuya.

Sakuya stopped time and quickly flew over to the nekomata while maneuvering through the danmaku, then she flipped the bucket upside down, the water not falling out.

Then she placed the cat lady's head inside the bucket, immediately Sakuya felt a decrease of power from her.

She backed away while maneuvering through the arrows and snapped her fingers.

Immediately the spell card was canceled as the cat lady was severely weakened by the bucket of water as the water poured throughout her body, mixing with her blood.

She lost the ability to fly a second later, and plummeted to the ground right next to the well.

"Uuu~! That was mean! Take this off! Take this off~!" whined the cat lady.

She struggled to take it off but she couldn't..then she landed on the ground on her derriere as she gave up in trying to take it off...and just sat there..

"(I'm sorry Master! I'm sorry I couldn't protect the village from a greedy shrine maiden and a cold maid)" thought the cat lady.

Reimu could barely stifle herself laughing as she went ahead and flew into one of the homes in Mayohiga.

"I guess that's it, better go loot some stuff now~!" sung Reimu, with money signs in her eyes.

Sakuya followed her into the house.

"(I wonder if there are some supplies we could send to the SDM.)" thought Sakuya.


	33. Perfect Blossom Chapter 5

**Yukari's POV**

(Shoot, Ken hasn't gone to Mayohiga.)

(Only those two went.)

(Poor Chen, at least she's taking a bath.)

(I must tell Yuyuko for Plan B.)

I open up a gap while sitting up on my futon with a wave of my hand.

The gap shows Yuyuko and her servant in the zen garden.

"Ah Yukari, did he go to Mayohiga as planned?" asked Yuyuko.

"I'm afraid not. We must go to plan B" said Yukari.

"I don't believe you mentioned a Plan B, what would it be?" asked Yuyuko.

(I didn't? I was probably very drowsy that time.)

"Okay. Plan B is to send the cherry petals upwind back up to the Netherworld, so then they would follow the petals up to your place. After your "defeat," you will tell Ken in a few days to come alone to Mayohiga to "remind" me to repair the border" explained Yukari.

Yuyuko nodded and looked at her servant.

"Youmu, I believe you know what to do" said Yuyuko.

The servant known as Youmu bowed before she walked away from sight.

"It will be done my friend. I will initiate the unsealing of the Saigyou Ayakashi as you planned, only to be stopped later" said Yuyuko.

I smiled as I nodded, then I closed the gap.

I looked out a window to my right as I saw the sun rising in the horizon, while it snowed heavily on the ground.

(Fufufu, time to help the clouds....blot out the sun. Yuyuko is going to need some time.)

I opened up two gaps, one that shows Reimu and Sakuya raiding a home in Mayohiga.

Reimu had a money sign on both of her eyes as she took family heirlooms and money and put them in her dress while Sakuya inspected the food for anything unsafe.

I shook my head, disapproving of their actions.

(Even if there's practically nobody who lives in the village, it's not nice to steal things from the homes.)

(Greed carries this shrine maiden by a lot.)

And the other gap lead to Marisa and Ken raiding an unknown home.

(Great. The four people who are supposed to investigating my incident are busy raiding homes.)

(That girl was always known for theft.)

I saw Marisa carefully putting books in her blouse from a bookshelf while helping Ken look for someone.

"Where is Alice? Alice! Hey stop stealing and help me look for her!" said Ken.

"I'm borrowing, ze! And I don't think she's here. If she was, she would have caught me borrowing her stuff!" remarked Marisa.

(Fufufu, those two are funny. Oh I wonder why they aren't together anymore. Oh, It's time. Now that both pairs are inside.)

With a wave of my finger, I immediately made a tangible border in the clouds undetectable, only blocking the sun.

Then the day immediately turned to night as I could barely see through the night fog.

(Hurry Yuyuko.)

"Nyah~! That hurts"

A cry of pain came from downstairs as I quietly giggled.

(Poor Chen. I should get her a chainsaw for that human holiday they call Christmas.)

**Ken's POV**

I was just exiting the home of Alice Margatroid disappointed while hovering over the snow.

(Damn. She isn't here. Where could she possibly be?)

I looked over at Marisa who seemed to have gained bigger busts. Although it's kinda dislocated, disheveled, and just looks really wrong.

(Is Marisa actually trying to hide them like that? Geez, everyone's flat in Gensokyo.)

(That could be a lie though.....or not.)

"Marisa, why are you carrying books in your bra?" I said.

"So they won't fall out, ze! These books are high quality! I need to borrow them, daze!" exclaimed Marisa.

(What's a disorder called when you repeatably commit Theft?)

I rolled my eyes, immediately I noticed something while I was moving my pupils.

(What the? wasn't it lighter out here?)

"Hey! Where's the sun!?" asked Marisa, looking around.

(Exactly. Who does have power over the sun?)

"Well, at least it makes it easier for me to get away with all this stuff" remarked Marisa.

(You would be the one who would say that and not care about what's going on right now.)

(But that doesn't matter now. What does matter are two things, that spell card and this Cherry Blossom incident)

I wondered about the spell card as I somehow randomly activated it against Letty before.

I put my hand in my pocket as I felt three cards.

I took them out and singled out an unfamiliar card from the other two.

(Split Sign Splitting Laser?)

I looked at the picture and saw three things.

The first was an image of a red laser with the user using both hands to project the beam.

The second was two beams in each person's hand as it split apart.

The third was the two beams that separated into many fireballs that fired each a bullet as the fireballs spread randomly throughout the field.

(Huh? I only remember them going to a side neatly in columns....must have been upgraded.)

(But the thing is, how did I suddenly get it?)

"Hey Ken, what's over there, ze?" asked Marisa, making me lose my focus.

(Eh? I'm currently in my train of thought and you just interrupt me like that? Nice Marisa, I guess I have to hold off on it for a while. But what is that?)

I saw a small....body just lying out there in the small grassy yard covered with snow in front of Alice's home.

(It kinda looks like a doll, did Alice forget it?)

I hovered over to the doll who seemed to be lying unattended.

It had medium-length blonde hair and blue eyes and is wearing a long dark purple dress with a white apron and white shoulders, and matching dark purple shoes. There is a large red bow in the hair and a smaller matching bow around her neck.

It looked lifeless as it just laid there on the snow staring at the sky, snow is beginning to cover its knees.

(Aw~. Look at that, it looks very familiar though.)

Out of curiosity, I put my finger in its mouth seeing as it seemed to be worked on too.

(There's so much detail in these do-)

"OW!" I yelled.

The doll looked emotionless as it bit down hard on my finger while I yelled in pain.

(Of all the.....why didn't we work on the fingers back in training to make them not as sensitive? And guitar did not put callouses on my right index finger.)

"Ken, What happened?" asked Marisa.

"The doll bit me!"

"What? The doll bit you, ze? What kind of joke is that?"

(Damn it Marisa, this is no time to be taking it easy.)

I lifted up the doll by my finger as it bit down hard on me.

(Ow.)

"See?! I could get rabies from this thing!" I said, hysteric.

Marisa opened her eyes wide then started to laugh loudly.

"Shanghai! Back away from the mean person!"

Immediately, it released its grip on me as it flew backwards in a reverse pelvic thrust towards the darkness.

I inspected my finger for any sign of saliva, there was none, but..

(Are there splinters in my skin??)

I took them out one by one as I painfully yelped and Marisa stopped laughing.

After that, I looked in the direction where Shanghai was pulled into and heard a declaration.

"Puppeteer Sign "Maiden's Bunraku!"

(Puppeteer......Alice..)

"Hey! I know that spell card! It's the weird doll girl! She always kicks me out of her house with that spell card" exclaimed Marisa.

(That's weird. Considering how you two always seem to be a good couple in the fanbase.)

From a darkness came a blue globe bullet as it went towards us,

Marisa got her options out and immediately used her illusion spark while I thought of an attack i could use consistently.

(Err, Come on. I need an attack. I remember using tiny ass bullets against that one spell card of Letty's, they were weak, but I need to use them for now. Let's try homing and make sure they don't collide with any bullets.)

I held out my hand as I immediately sprayed out tons of white and very tiny white bullets that seemed to be somewhat translucent and they picked up something in the distance.

(Good now come on, tell me bullets. Where the heck is Alice?)

They seemed to be going towards the left of the globe bullet approaching us.

Then suddenly when the globe bullet was halfway towards us, it imploded taking out 6 red dolls as they immediately pelvic thrusted towards the darkness again...  
(What the hell was the point in that?)

I heard a low hum instinctively in my head as I knew something.

(Good I must be hitting her, now I just gotta wait a while.)

I kept holding out my hand to unleash the tiny bullets when suddenly there were red lasers in random directions towards us.

They were illuminated giving off faint red light as I could see the dolls making the lasers.

Then there was fast streaming red bullets going randomly towards us like dumbfire missiles, while fast streaming blue bullet columns went towards us in random directions as well, sometimes tracing and following some of the laser's path.

(Whoa, crap, I almost got skewered.)

Me and Marisa grazed as the illusion spark and the little tiny bullets done its damage, hearing that familiar little low hum.

I lifted my foot just in time to graze two red bullets.

Then soon the red beams stopped as we saw the last of the red and blue danmaku.

Then there came a blue globe bullet again.

(Here comes the pointless part.)

I braced myself while hovering over the ground, firing off into the darkness.

Then again came out 6 dolls when it imploded, when instantly I heard a high hum.

(Wait a second, that means the spell is about to be broken...YES!)

The six dolls came into the darkness again as I saw red beams again piercing the ground as one was between my legs.

I flew up as the red bullets and the blue bullet columns came again.

But it wasn't as forgiving as a bullet column of five, no, eight blue bullets grazed my face on my right, then three red random bullets were about to hit me in the face.

I tilted my head when I noticed that there was two columns headed towards me on the left.

(Crap, I can't move.)

Then the bullets suddenly disappeared as the white bullets began to fire out randomly now without something to aim at or point out.

(Whew~, spell card is broken.)

"Hehe, so you were serious this time, you witch. Do you find this brutal evening likable?"

Out came from a darkness a girl who had orange eyes, short blond hair, and is carrying a large black book, and a small red-clothed doll. She is wearing a light blue dress with pink ribbons, black boots, and a red ribbon in her hair.

(Alice, I am expecting there to be some typical stuff that happens in AliceXMarisa.)

"Hehe, It isn't bad" replied Marisa.

"Then surely you are a magician of the untamed fields" said Alice.

(She lives in a damn forest, what the hell are you talking about?)

"As opposed to a magician from a greenhouse?"

(And how do you know what that is? If you even know.)

"As opposed to a magician from a city sect."

(That's more like it.)

"Oh? I get it—this is a welcome to the wilderness."

(what?)

"Springtime in this rural place is cold and disagreeable."

(You got that right.)

"I think not; some power is at work to cause such snowstorms in spring."

(Is this the only person you talk to like this, Marisa?)

"It is not my doing, you know."

(I know, but she doesn't.)

"Is that so? Even so, it seems that you hold some tiny spring of your own."

(What? What are you talking about? All I know is that you stole a line from someone.)

(Maybe Rumia is causing this darkness to happen, nah.)

"Well, perhaps I shall partake of your small spring as well as your friend?"

(Okay then! Let's do this.)

Alice opened her book and took out a card, while me and Marisa braced ourselves, looking intently at Alice for any sign of any move.

(You keep your spell cards in your book? 0_0)

"Blue Sign! Benevolent Orléans Dolls!"

An circle with an insignia outline as she pulled out eight dolls as they circled around Alice, then they each shot out a small wave of white arrow bullets clockwise.

(Hehe, No wonder the spell card has the name Benevolent in it, It's saintly easy.)

(Oh goodness, I'm so bad at jokes.)

But then the dolls turned to circle around Alice counter-clockwise, as the arrow bullets did the same and...seemingly multiplied, turning into red instead of white.

(What the....)

Then the dolls turned back around clockwise as the bullets multiplied again and turned into green bullets, this time heading towards us as the waves overlapped one another and made very few gaps to utilize.

(Shit, I can't shoot like this. Then again, I don't always have to extend my hand to shoot.)

We grazed and dodged as I lifted my right foot, then my left, I began alternating lifting my feet as I leaned back to dodge a wave, while shooting off the white tiny bullets as I now heard a low hum.

(Good, this should be good for now.)

I stopped alternating my feet as we saw the last of the waves, then Alice began to start it up all over again while her right hand barely moved, controlling the dolls.

(She isn't the seven-colored Puppeteer for nothing. But now I am getting tired of this card, and I need to end it.)

(What the? Marisa isn't firing?)

I looked over at Marisa as the waves didn't turn green yet, still in its white form.

She began to throw a large pot.

(Here it goes again with Marisa and her bombs, hopefully it hits, especially in this windy weather.)

She threw it as I watched the waves turn to red., it looked like it was going to miss, but then the wind hit us in the back.

(Geez. I hate that wind chill. my feet are crying frozen tears right now.)

(At least the bomb will make it now that the wind is helping, but why is the wind going up too?)

I shrugged my shoulders as Alice canceled her spell card immediately as I noticed a stunning lack of bullets, then I saw three dolls of the circle made somewhat of a triangle shaped shield in front of Alice while the others just went down on the ground. The shield grew red as the bomb made contact with it, a blue explosion emerged as a sudden wave of warmth hit me.

(Oh god, that is relieving. My feet are still in pain though.)

"You almost got me by surprise, so you don't only use overwhelming magic power but you have strategy. Nice" remarked Alice.

Marisa gave a thumbs up while Alice took out another card from her book.

"White Sign! Chalk-White Russian Dolls!" declared Alice.

Quickly, many dolls appeared around Alice in random locations as they fired bursts of bullets in six directions, then the doll disappears as soon as it fired its burst.

Alice kept up the pace by throwing out more chalk-white dolls that did the same.

(I remember this spell card, it was easy, this makes me want to fool around with her with my own.)

I took a card from my pocket and held it up high, temporarily canceling my white bullets, no longer hearing that low hum.

"Seeker Sign! Ambush!" I declared.

Immediately, a set of 15 globe bullets appeared on my left and right, then they rushed towards Alice.

Alice didn't cancel her spell as I cocked my head and leaned back after declaring it.

She simply floated towards us by five paces, dodging it all.

"Do you not know strategy at all? You must be taught by that witch" said Alice, disapproving of my actions.

(Stop being a damn strategy whore!)

I simply shook my head to dodge the incoming burst at my face as I tilted my head down.

"Ehh~, Augh!"

Alice let out a grunt as all 30 discs hit her in the back as fulfilled in my card, canceling her own spell card as she was lurched forward with her hands on her knees.

(They never know how to get past my card the first time, that is truly sad.)

"Must....appear...weak...to the...enemy"

Alice panted those words out while she became winded.

(Does Alice read the art of war? Because I'm pretty sure from what the touhou fans say, Alice never brings her full strength in a battle. And so far, trying to appear weak to your opponent is not working out for her if she's not going to give it her all.)

After a few minutes waiting, while we impatiently waited for her.

(Watch the enemy and observe and adapt. That's what Sun Tzu said before.)

Alice then stood up properly and gave us all a cold stare. She took a card from her book.

"You all are giving me trouble in my 'playground,' that's a first. Elegant Sign! Spring Kyoto Dolls!" declared Alice.

(Are you going to relentlessly bombard us with spell cards. Because it's not working so far.)

Many dolls surround Alice as she took them out and circle her, It seems similar to her Orleans card, only a larger circle with more dolls. Each doll fires off green shards outwards. After a short period, the dolls start circling in the opposite direction, and their bullets become blue. Shortly afterward, they change direction and become green again, repeating the very noticeable pattern.

(Time to start dodging through circles, even a monkey could look at the pattern and see many circles chain-linked together.)

I took a step to the right, already dodging two waves of the circle of shards, then I stepped back, dodging two more waves, while I fired my many white bullets.

(Hehe, this pattern is kinda easy. I should give my white bullets a name. Let's call it....Seeking Sand, sounds cool enough.)

I grinned as I dodged the pattern and used my Seeking Sand attack, hearing that familiar low hum.

(Where exactly does this low hum come from....it helps though...)

After thirty seconds of stepping back and forth easily using Seeking Sand, I heard a high hum.

(Wow, this pattern was actually kinda boring. I think I know how Marisa feels, in a way.)

After another five seconds, I heard the sound of glass being broken, which probably meant the spell's broken.

I looked over at Marisa, who seemed to be trying so hard to stay awake, as she began nodding off, but then she became alert when all the bullets disappeared.

"Was it honestly that boring? Uuu~, I feel really weak" complained Alice.

(Don't blame me for making your spell cards so easy.)

She quickly took out probably her last spell card, as she seems to be getting tired.

"Curse! Hanged Hourai Dolls!" declared Alice.

5 dolls orbit Alice at a distance similar to her last spell card we faced as I again braced myself and used Seeking Sand. They then each fired out a stream of yellow, orange, then blue arrow bullets, as they traveled straight outward for a small distance, then changed direction to our current position. After she fired the blue bullets, the dolls paused for a moment, and then begin again the deadly cycle.

(Okay, this is getting hard. That low hum I hear is not enough to calm me and help me concentrate on these bullets.)

While I was barely grazing yellow and orange bullets aimed at my head, I was hit on my knee by a blue bullet.

I quickly covered my knee with my hands temporarily stopping Seeking Sand, the pain was really intense.

"Ow what the ****! I felt like I got kicked in the shin, you mother******! You ****, piece of ****! You ***lick*************nine*********American****pie****!" I exclaimed, shooting out more expletives.

I ran out of breath as I finished my tirade.

(That took a lot out of me, I probably shouldn't have done that.)

Alice stared at me with open eyes, while i heard Marisa giggle loudly.

"If you complain that much, I will finish you off quickly!" stated Alice.

She began shooting out globe bullets in six directions quickly as they flied in some sort of arcing pattern.

(She's really starting to tick me off.)

"You sick daughter of a *******....Marisa...help please....She's really starting to get on my nerves" I yelled, exasperated.

Just when I said that, a globe bullet hit me in my arm as I was twirled around and was hit on the back by several bullets.

(..Thank god for Meiling's sadistic training.)

I quickly retreated to inside Alice's house, feeling the intense pain that was accumulated on my back about to go away.

(I need to stay here and recover. My feet are starting to feel better.)

My feet began to feel like there's sand on them as it no longer begins to be numb.

I see Marisa taking out her Hakkero from her hat as she pointed it at Alice, who was looking at me in disdain, not realizing the danger she was in.

"You cow" said Alice.

(Cow? What the hell?)

"Love Sign! Master Spam-...errr...Spark!"

(How do you make a mistake on your signature spell card?)

A large white beam emanated from her Hakkero as insignias surround the beam at a distance, engulfing Alice as her spell card was canceled, bullets disappearing.

(Wait a second. What am I doing in here?!)

I quickly run up to Marisa's Beam and warm my feet near it, feeling the blood rushing in my feet again.

"....Ken...do you want me to spark you? You kinda look like you do" asked Marisa with wide eyes.

I quickly looked at her and shook my head quickly, she looked really confused.

(Sometimes, one girl's attack is another man's treasure, even if that doesn't make sense.)

After a while, her spark stopped as the size decreased.

I saw Alice, burnt, on the ground with her dolls.

I hovered over to her while Marisa walked over to her too.

"So, have winters always been this busy? Humans usually stay indoors" said Marisa.

Alice had her voice somewhat muffled by the snow while laying face down on the snow as she spoke.

(So much for strategy.)

"You mustn't consider me a normal human" replied Alice.

(Then what the hell are you? Oh yeah...)

"Are you a weird human, then?"

Marisa was grinning like crazy when she said that.

"I'm normal! Just not human! Plus, must you use magic like that? Conserve your ******* energy!"

(Alice seems to be getting really angry, she's cussing like me now.)

"If it ain't flashy, It ain't magic"

I was immediately attacked by goosebumps, as that was the first time I heard Marisa say the popular saying.

(Okay. We need to find out where the incident is, we're wasting time.)

"Okay, Alice. Do you know who it was that stole spring or sprinkled winter all over this land?" I asked, impatient.

Alice looked up at me, she looked really irritated at me.

"Downwind, there's a decadent Shinto shrine. There's a shrine maiden there who dreams of spring, I bet she's behind all this"

(Reimu would have the power to do that, but she's too lazy to do all that, this is the first time i seen someone used sarcasm in Gensokyo)

(But, now's not the time for damn jokes!)

"BULL****! I doubt that very much!" I said, becoming more and more aggravated and impatient.

Both Alice and Marisa stared at me wide-eyed.

"Well, joking aside. Haven't you noticed that the cherry petals are floating upwards now?" remarked Alice.

I looked up, now I stand in shock as cherry petals fly up to the sky, laughing at gravity's face. Then I looked down at Alice, still looking angry with a mix of shock.

"So it's upwind, thanks Alice."

"How do you know my name? I don't believe we met before" said Alice, narrowing her eyes at me.

"Don't ask. He's creepy like that" replied Marisa.

(Says a "borrowing" kleptomaniac.)

"Don't talk like that. You're the one who pledged your love to me so easily!" I said.

"Ah, Excuses Excuses!"

I took a deep breath, in an attempt to calm myself down before saying, "Okay, let's go upwind. The incident must be up there.

I went upwards into the sky like superman while Marisa giggled.

"Whatever you say weirdo"

*Kick


	34. Perfect Blossom Chapter 6

**Ken's POV**

"Ow! What was that for, ze?!" yelled Marisa, holding her head.

"Oh sorry, My foot slipped" I said.

(Don't act like you know nothing!)

I flew up in the air as I headed towards where the petals are going, past the clouds.

(Hopefully I won't get jolted down.)

"Come on Marisa, let's go!" I said, flying upwards.

"Wait!" yelled Marisa.

I looked back, and I saw books dropping from Marisa's dress, she struggled to save them.

"No! I'm borrowing those!" yelled Marisa, getting a glare from Alice.

(So much for using a bra to hide your ill-gotten gains.)

(You could try borrowing and asking instead of without the latter, that's a lot better than just the former.)

I saw the books fall through the air as I stopped, they landed on the snow, and Alice.

"Stop stealing my stuff you wit- ow~!" exclaimed Alice, buried by her books.

(Poor Alice. Is this the beginning of a Waifu Alice? Either way, fans like the shy Alice more than the sadistic Alice.)

(Well, I know I do.)

"Uuu~, I'll borrow it later" conceded Marisa, not bothering to get the books. "I don't even have my bag to carry them."

She catched up to me defeated as I saw that she was....flat again.

(Unless you do have a bag, you really can't steal anything, especially if you are trying to use a bra or something.)

We were getting close to the clouds as it became more ominously cold.

(What does it feel like in a cloud? I wonder, is it really as soft as sleeping on a Tempur-Pedic bed?)

(And a Tempur-Pedic bed is freaking hard as hell, but it doesn't make cups fall and make a mess.)

I became somewhat afraid, as I was about to venture into something unknown while Marisa on the other hand looked confident when I looked at her.

"Marisa, this is a cloud, how can you not be afraid?" I asked, doubting her confidence.

"Think, Ken. It's not a thunderstorm is it, ze?" said Marisa.

(That's true. It's only snowing instead, plus it's gonna be as hell as cold in those clouds. Good thing I'm ready.)

I looked at my feet, beginning to be cold again.

(Maybe I should hurry through the clouds, my feet could die.)

(Now, all we gotta do is to follow the cherry petals, That way, we shouldn't get lost.)

I looked at the various cherry petals around me as they flew up into the clouds.

(Strange, this normally wouldn't be happening. Where would you see leaves simply float to the sky?)

Now I closed my eyes, as me and Marisa were about to pass through the clouds.

(I hope she doesn't get lost.)

The clouds felt like some barrier that I passed through. I felt somewhat of a wave pass through me.

I chuckled a little bit.

(That felt really strange and ticklish.)

I gathered up the courage to open my eyes, and I saw just a gray fog around me, with cherry petals still going up.

I felt really cold as I began to collect water on my feet, then it spread around my feet making it really cold.

(God this is unbearable, it's too cold!)

(But it's time to go up, no matter how much my feet are complaining....where's Marisa?)

I turned around as I saw nothing but a gray fog and gravity defying petals.

I facepalmed, noting the surprising lack of Marisa.

(How the hell did you get lost already?)

"Marisa?!" I shouted loudly.

I intently listened around me, while all I heard was the wind blowing.

"MARISA~!"

Still, no response came as I shook my head.

(Are you serious? Guess I have to continue on my own now, even if I'm not experienced yet.)

I sighed as I kept floating up, continuing to see nothing but gray fog.)

(First, an idiot attacked, then a doll bit me, now my companion is missing? What the...)

**Third POV:**

Meanwhile at Yukari's home, we see Yukari and Ran sitting opposite of each other with their legs under a kotatsu, while a cat lady slept under it too with her bandages wrapped around her in various places.

"Fufufu, Ken is going to have a little trouble. I only made the barrier so that Ken, Sakuya, and Reimu can pass through it. He would sweep through everything if he had Marisa by his side. I wonder how he's going to adapt especially with his feet's condition" said Yukari.

Ran sighed and shook her head.

"Mistress, why do you like toying with him so much?" asked Ran

Yukari pointed her finger up, as if she had an idea.

"Don't forget, the element of surprise is one of the biggest factors in Gensokyo, even with those spell card rules. He will need to be alert at all times" said Yukari.

"Yukari, why are you interested in him?" asked Ran.

"You don't need to know just yet Ran" said Yukari, avoiding the question.

Ran rolled her eyes.

"How exactly did you make the barrier that only Ken, Sakuya, and Reimu could pass through easily?" asked Ran.

"Simple. Marisa just has to go through a detour, she will be back on the main course, but she's not going to be there for a long time, especially after putting her in the same place as that fairy" said Yukari.

"*sigh* I hope you planned this out well, Yukari"

While she said that, Ran adjusted her legs under the kotatsu from a criss-cross to just extending them.

"Nyah~!

Ran looked under the Kotatsu quickly while surprised.

"Chen?"

Under the kotatsu, we see that Chen had big eyes with her mouth open blushing heavily while she was crying. Her head was on the heater.

Ran began to be shocked, with her mouth wide open.

"It huuuuuurts! Meow Meow!"

Ran, with her tails perked up, screamed, "CHEEEEEEEEEE-"

Meanwhile, Marisa is going through a black darkness, fighting through yin-yang balls and ghosts.

"Ken! Ken! Where are you! Where am I?!" yelled out Marisa.

The yin yang balls quickly passed around Marisa as they unleashed a column of circular bullets at one point.

Marisa simply ducked down and grazed all the incoming bullets as the yin yang balls went away.

"Ken! Ken!"

Marisa looked troubled and distressed as she quickly passed through the darkness, wandering while leaving a somewhat doppelganger trail.

"IT'S..."

Quickly Marisa looked around for the source of the voice, even if it isn't Ken's voice.

"Who are you! Where am I?!"

Quickly a figure came into Marisa's view in front of her, looking down.

She had green eyes, long blond hair, and has a pair of white feathered wings. Her hat and dress are white, with a red wave pattern outlining the edges.

She simply floated towards Marisa as Marisa began to take her Hakkero out of her hat and pointed it at her with a threatening pose.

"Stop! Or I will blast you with the annihilation of love!"

The person stopped when Marisa uttered her words as she continued to look down, and began to curl up into a fetal position.

"Are you ok, ze?!"

"IT'S.....IT'S..."

Then she overextended her legs and arms in excitement, with a big grin, unleashing a quick barrage of circular bullets in every direction.

"IT'S SPRING~!"

**Ken's POV**

I kept flying up into the sky as I had my eyes closed, getting tired of seeing the gray fog.

(Okay, I know clouds should never be that high, then again it's dark at night. How will I know if I passed through the clouds?)

I sighed, as I flew up for a good five minutes and still nothing of interesting gets me.

(God I hate this. My feet are so numb. If only Marisa was here. This would be the only time where I would have her spark me....just to be warm.)

I touched my feet with my hand while my eyes are still closed. it felt really cold and I didn't feel anything from my feet.

(How did it not die of frostbite yet? It's already numb.)

I shook my head as I felt my head poke out of something.

Then suddenly I saw a faint orange color while I had my eyes closed.

(Wait a second, that means...)

Quickly I opened my eyes, now I saw that I was above the clouds, with the sun just rising over it.

(What the.....woah....this is captivating.)

I marveled at the sight as sunlight glinted on the clouds while it struck me as I glowed in an orange light.

My feet began to warm up as they were out of the clouds.

(Well, I guess they aren't going to die today.)

The sunlight blinded me as I was more closer to the sun than I thought, making me use my hands to blot out the sun.

Even if the air was somewhat still frigid especially with goosebumps all over me, but the sunlight was warming.

(This feels great. Wait, who are those two people over there.?)

I put my hand against the sun so I could see better, they were far away but I could see them easily through the air.

Out of curiosity, I moved closer to them as fast as I can as they began to be more lucid.

(Sakuya and Reimu. How am i going to explain that my partner is missing? That doesn't matter, I'm still cold. I need warmth!)

I outstretched my hands as they had their backs towards me.

(Hmm~, who should I surprise? Reimu's too cold literally and figuratively, she needs a hug.)

I began to get closer and closer as I heard their voices.

"Sakuya, did you hear something?" asked Reimu, unaware.

"No i don't Reimu. Why?" replied Sakuya.

"I'm getting a suspicious feel_"

I had my arms fully wrapped around Reimu as I hugged her tightly, interrupting her.

"Hng~!" grunted Reimu.

"RAYMOO~!" I yelled.

I rubbed my face on her neck as she was still paralyzed from the surprise while a drunken smile appeared on my face.

(God, she's so warm.)

I felt the warmth entering me from her body as she still stood still.

I caught a glimpse of Sakuya, who giggled while covering her mouth.

"Fufufu, Ken. What a surprise! Where's Marisa?" asked Sakuya.

I kept rubbing my head on Reimu's neck.

"I don't know. She ran off on her own.

Sakuya shrugged her shoulders and began to grin at me, then she looked serious.

"Ken, you may want to get off of Reimu. She looks really irritated.

(I did feel her arms shaking.)

Immediately I backed off as soon as she said that. Reimu was still frozen, but her arms constantly shook while her hands were balled into fists.

(As of right now, I do not want to risk getting hit by her balls through any means necessary.)

I looked around and hovered over the clouds to another location when I noticed the cherry petals.

They were around us as they went towards a barrier, with four columns next to it in a square pattern.

(If i suspect, this must be the way to the Netherworld.)

I saw somewhat of a boundary on it, lavished with insignias and sigils all around it, with a huge mark in the middle.

(So~, what are exactly the purposes of those columns?)

"Sakuya, I think Reimu needs a time out from the shock she received. Let's go on ahead and fix this" I said, becoming more and more apprehensive.

Sakuya nodded as she went up next to me on my right, then we followed the cherry petals as they swept through the air towards the boundary.

I looked back at Reimu to relieve my suspicions, who had a spell card up in the air.

(Uh oh.)

"Holy Relic "Yin-Yang! Sanctifier Orb!" declared Reimu.

Then out appeared a big-ass yin yang orb on top of Reimu as it dropped into her hands.

(Where the hell do those come from!?)

Then she prepared to throw it by placing her hand behind her, then she threw it overhand.

I opened my eyes wide as I immediately flew away from it, Sakuya just went back a few feet and it missed her by a hair's length.

(Are you insane? Those things can kill you!)

I flew and flew away from it, but it kept coming with such velocity, then I remembered a trick, while I facepalmed.

(Oh duh! How could I forget that?)

I simply flew up, like I did before, as the yin yang ball missed me.

"Raymoo~, you got a spell card to work on" I teased.

I looked back at her as she threateningly raised her gohei at me, with a very angry face.

"Stop being so damn cocky!" yelled Reimu.

Suddenly, Sakuya appeared right next to me as she caught me off by surprise, while I made weird hand motions in the air.

(Damn time-traveling maids.)

"Don't worry about her. She's just mad because she lost all those treasures she collected on the way here" said Sakuya.

(That explains everything. Today must not be a good day to be really greedy.)

I stopped making hand motions in the air as I continued to float towards the boundary with Sakuya, then slowly Reimu came too, while she was grinning heavily.

(I see daggers in her smile. There's no reason for her to be smiling right now.)

"Sakuya, don't forget the time you ate all the food on the way here that was supposed to be for 'your Mistress'" said Reimu, sticking her tongue out.

Immediately a knife grazed Reimu's eye, which didn't have a cut but Reimu was thoroughly surprised, I looked over at Sakuya who seems to be grinning heavily as well.

(I really can't have them fight like this if we are so close.)

"Girls come on, let's just get this over with" I said, trying to end their dangerous cat-fight.

Both grinned heavily at each other as a thought struck my head like a shooting star.

(Where exactly did that yin yang orb go?)

I looked over at the boundary and I saw the orb stuck to the boundary with a person in between.

I flew closer to the person and sat on one of the columns and tried to get a better look. Reimu and Sakuya were still growling and grinning at each other.

The person had short blond hair, and her clothes is a black band uniform, with white and red trim. Her hat has a red crescent moon decoration at the peak.

(Okay Reimu. You gone too far, your actions killed Lunasa.)

The yin yang orb finally disappeared as Lunasa slid off into the clouds, revealing somewhat of a crack on the barrier. While the cherry petals flew in unattended.

"You fiend!"

"Why did you do this to our sister!?"

Two other people that had the same outfit as Lunasa except one had pink with blue and black trim with a blue sun decoration on the peak of her hat. The other one had red with pink and black trim with a green shooting star at the peak of the hat.

The red, pink and black one was carrying Lunasa bridal style, who happens to be nose-bleeding profusely.

The blue sun one had a trumpet while the other one had a keyboard, while on Lunasa's stomach was a violin with the bow in one of the strings.

(Meh, I forgot their names. Only Lunasa stands out really well.)

Even Sakuya and Reimu stopped their intense grinning contest to see what's going on.

I simply pointed at Reimu as she became confused.

"She did it. She made that yin yang ball and hit your sister" I said, getting a glare from Reimu.

Angrily, the two sisters stared at Reimu, then the one carrying Lunasa sat on one of the other columns with their instruments while the blue sun person took out a spell card and held it up high.

"Trumpet Ghost! Hino Phantasm!"

(Now I remember! That has to be Merlin, while the other one has to be Lyrica.)

Then she put the trumpet up to her lips as she let go of the car, then she began to make some music.

(Hmm~, this would be nice to listen to in an urban jazzy way. If it wasn't a spell card.)

Five ghostly like lines appear from behind her as they went forward and went to her far right.

Then they slowly start to move in the opposite direction while it resembled a musical staff while making arrow bullets in all directions as they pass through the air.

I was surprised as I quickly stood up and grazed the incoming bullets.

"Hey! She's the one who hit your sister! Not me!" I yelled.

Merlin didn't respond as she continue to play her music while unleashing deadly music at me.

(Well if you won't listen then..)

I used my seeking sand attack without delay as a mass of tiny white bullets rush at Merlin, as I heard that familiar low hum.

Soon Reimu and Sakuya followed suit too as Sakuya began attacking with her knives while Reimu used her homing amulet to direct ofuda to turn blue and home in on Merlin.

(This should be over really quick. It's three against one!)

I was right, in ten seconds as Merlin was about to restart her pattern, I heard a high hum. Then I heard a sour B note from her trumpet as her spell broke.

(Augh~, that was a very ugly note.)

I looked over at Lyrica and Lunasa as Lunasa appeared to have recovered from the impact as they flied over to her sister.

"Merlin. Are you ok?" asked Lyrica.

"Come on. They want an encore. Let's give it to them" said Lunasa, giving me a dangerous glare.

(They know musical terms?)

"I'm fine. It's fair now, three against three...HEY!" said Merlin.

Merlin got our attention as she cleared her throat, Reimu had her ofuda ready in both hands while Sakuya prepared to throw knives.

"You three may have gotten through the solo. But do you have what it takes against a Trio!?" said Merlin.

(That's not a musical term at the end.)

With that said, the sisters got in position in a triangle pattern, with Lunasa at the top, Lyrica far in front of her to her right, and Merlin to Lunasa's left, even with Lyrica. Lunasa fires bursts of multicolored shards, in groups of 5 in a circular pattern around her, while her sisters create a static laser between them. When a group of five shards passed through the laser, they turned into multicolored kunais that began to accelerate towards me.

Luckily, It passed by my leg although it left a laceration on my jeans, as I retaliated with my Seeking Sand. Soon Reimu and Sakuya countered with their own attack too.

We all grazed the kunais as one group managed to cut a little bit of my sideburns. Then another group almost cut my right arm if I didn't notice it sooner.

(Crap, I'm cutting it very close. Is this that difficulty gap everyone was talking about on ToujinStyle?)

Then suddenly while I kept grazing, Merlin and Lyrica switch positions, and adjust the lasers to aim upwards, crosing each other at a right angle just below Lunasa. Then Lunasa begins to alternate between red and yellow shards all around her with complementary bursts of multi-colored shards but instead, they came directly at me.

(Oh my god, this is hell, I hate that damn laser. Do they know how much I hate weaving bullets like that?)

(I need to end this now!)

Then I heard a high hum as Merlin and Lyrica began to twirl around their lasers, manipulating the shard's direction.

(Are they having fun with this? Because I'm not. Are they trying to tell me to take it easy?)

Then the spell broke as all the bullets disappeared and the sisters were winded already.

(Then again, I have never seen a single yukkuri yet.)

I looked back behind me to check on Sakuya and Reimu. Sakuya had a small cut on her left cheek while Reimu just looked impatient.

"Uhm~, Reimu, take it easy?" I said.

(No matter how much you do, you really don't.)

"I will not! These sisters are wasting our time, somebody could be stealing my donations right now. I need to finish this and HURRY BACK!" yelled Reimu with an unusual vehement voice.

(Are you saying you still get donations if you ever get any in this god-forsaken weather?)

(That's a very different uncharacteristic tone of voice.)

"She's right. I am neglecting my Lady Remilia. We really need to finish this" said Sakuya, agreeing.

(You.....You are just too damn loyal.)

"Fine. When they unleash another spell card, let's respond with our own" I said.

(Screw that. They don't need mine. These two are already overpowered.)

Reimu and Sakuya nodded and agreed, as they took out their own spell cards.

(Oh god, I can't wait to see the result of these sisters.)

The three girls begin to fly in a circle, staying in a very big triangular formation. Their instruments seem to be gathered together in the center of the circle, firing constant streams of multicolored shards aimed in a spiraling pattern, It seems they did this so each sister passed unharmed, while playing a beautiful jazz ensemble.

(That is the best collaboration I have ever heard so far.)

Soon they became to connect to each other with multicolored lasers, making the shards fly around in dangerous directions.

"ENOUGH!" declared Reimu.

(You must be really lucky today to have gotten at least a donation.)

"Treasure Tool! Yin-Yang Demon God Orb!" declared Reimu.

"Illusion Burial! Phantasmal Murderer of the Night Fog!" declared Sakuya.

I grazed the bullets as I felt a big blue glowing ball hovering over me as it cancel the bullets nearby, while I saw red glowing knives go into the clouds.

(This is overkill. This is bullshit. Is it necessary for two spellcards to take them out?)

I merely sat in the air as I saw the Big Blue Ball colliding with the laser, making flying sparks everywhere as the sisters began to look exhausted however determined.

However the knives came from the clouds as they hit the instruments, splitting them into pieces with the violin on fire while the knives flew into the air as the sisters lost their energy and dissipated their lasers, letting the big blue ball proceed into the middle and explode, making the sisters go fly in directions at a very fast velocity.

(I truly felt that. I don't know what I would do if someone broke my guitar.)

After the explosion cleared away, Lunasa was seen on the boundary again, with her body spread out and her hand flat on it, but this time made a larger crack as the boundary began losing its insignias and sigils before disappearing altogether. Lunasa then fell off the nonexistent boundary and fell into the clouds, again with a nosebleed out of control.

(Poor Lunasa. I wonder how the sisters are going to get their instruments back.)


	35. Perfect Blossom Chapter 7

**Yuyuko's POV**

"Youmu! Hurry! They have already started on going up the stairs. Fend them off for as long as you can, but-" I said, stopping mid-way.

I looked at Youmu who was about to rush out to the stairs.

"Let Ken pass. He will be the only boy amongst them, but make it seem like you didn't notice. Make sure to tell the ghosts that too" I said, fulfilling Yukari's plan.

Youmu turned around and bowed to me, while her back almost parallel to the floor.

"Mistress. Why would you let one of them get to you?" asked Youmu, while still bowing.

"Because Youmu, I have heard of many stories Yukari told me about him. I want to see him firsthand, with his full power" I said, smiling.

(All the stories my friend told me, makes me want to _eat him up_ real badly.)

I continued smiling as I floated in the air, licking my lips while Youmu still had her back parallel to the floor.

(You are still here....)

"Now go! I have something else to do to prepare" I ordered

Youmu nodded her head and immediately rushed out there, with her ghost half Myon hurriedly floating along side her.

(Now....time to spend some time with that tree..and then...Ken.)

My stomach growls loudly, making me sweat.

**Ken's POV**

"Uhm~, how many more steps are there?" I asked, panting.

I ran up the stairs as Reimu and Sakuya followed up behind me.

(At least it's warmer than I thought, I'm actually starting to sweat under here.)

I took off my sweater, scarf, and beanie, tucking them into a big roll of clothes as I soon held them to my side.

"I should really get more exercise" commented Reimu.

(Well duh! All you do is sit around and drink tea..)

I could hear Reimu panting heavily as she just resorted to flying above it.

(What?! No fair....you damn lazy miko.)

Soon me and Sakuya caught on and just flew up the stairs, while we never saw the end of the stairs.

(This is crazy, I bet nobody would ever walk up these stairs.)

"I see something, i think we have been noticed.

I quickly looked around in front of me, seeing ghostly lines up ahead on my right as a burst of yellow danmaku came from one of them, then it disappeared.

(Crap. Wait, it's not aiming for me though. And I am in the very front.)

(I think the ghosts have either crappy aim, or they know who's more powerful.)

Soon about five other ghostly lines at the front each shot a burst of danmaku before disappearing, but they missed as they aimed for the left and right of me.

"Grr~, we don't need this! Especially while we are climbing the stairs" yelled Reimu, angered.

(Well then, I guess the only way is to go faster.)

"C'mon! Get up there faster! Try harder~!" I yelled, increasing my speed with gait.

(I sound like that one annoying Dance Dance Revolution announcer, only more wronger than I thought.)

I began flying faster and faster over the stairs as these girls were getting impatient, especially with danmaku they have to dodge.

I looked behind me as Sakuya and Reimu were far behind, busy trying to graze danmaku the ghostly lines are throwing at them.

(Weird, they didn't even attack me. It's like they are ignoring me. What's going on?)

I slowed my pace as I flew upwards while I was facing the girls having trouble.

"Ken! Just keep going! We'll be up there! Hide somewhere when you get up these sta- oof~!" said Sakuya, before grunting.

Sakuya was suddenly forced back when a blur quickly came up to them as Reimu quickly leaped backwards.

Soon the blur was a person, who had short silver hair, has a katana with a cherry blossom insignia and flower attached, and a wakizashi (short Japanese sword). She's wearing a dark green and white dress with several ghost insignias along the edges and breast pocket, and a black ribbon placed off-center on her hair.

(Wait a second....is that....)

I strained my eyes as I looked at the familiar figure.

"The things that cannot be cut by my Roukan-Blade, forged by youkai...Are close to none!" yelled the familiar figure, making it obvious who it was.

(Yeah that's definitely Youmu, but how did she not see me?)

(I need to hurry up. If she can cover 200...yojana-something in a single slash, I would be dead already even at this distance.)

Quickly I hurried up the stairs as fast as my flying ability allowed, which made a very small sonic boom at my feet.

(Never have I heard that in a long time, but still I am not as fast as I was.)

Soon, I saw a Tengu gate at the top of the stairs, that meant I was close.

(That also means there may be a certain jealous journalist when I meet her.)

I smiled as I kept flying over the stairs, while contemplating recent events.

(Strange. It's like I'm a guest. I came uninterrupted by being attacked.)

I reached up to the Tengu gate as I stopped quickly, making me lose my balance and face planted on the ground.

After wiping the dust off my clothes, I put my beanie, hoodie, and scarf next to the gate, since I no longer have the use for them.

(It's too hot for all that. I'll be fine with my jeans on though.)

I looked at my feet, which became really warm.

(At least I don't have to worry about bare skin any more.)

I stood up and began to walk forward while taking in the scenery.

I was surrounded by cherry petals while I saw blooming Sakura trees everywhere, but they were neatly in both columns. I was in between them on a paved path.

(Woah~, this is nice. It would be nice if I had my I-pod with me.)

I saw, among the Sakura trees, many people. Although they even had color, they had spirits following them in somewhat of a sperm shape as big as their head, and their skin was pale.

Everyone was in a kimono or whatever feudal Japanese people wear.

The atmosphere was quite lively as the ghosts happily talked amongst themselves with cheerfulness.

(Even ghosts believe in "be of good cheer!" it seems.)

As I walked by, they were actually very busy tending to the trees near it. Some of them have noticed me and bowed, before returning to their work.

(So I came here uninvited, yet they treat me like this? They treated the girls back there very differently.)

Some of the ghosts I saw came down running past me with headbands of the Dreamcast logo on it, rushing back towards the stairs.

When I looked behind, I saw them transform into the same sperm shape as their spirit, making them go faster.

(So those are the ones the two are going to fight.)

Amidst the cherry trees, I saw....little children playing together like they had all the time to themselves.

A tear came through from my right eye as they were playing...Tag.

(That's sad. Were those kids easily killed? This should be the place where spirits go to after death.)

The little children simply ran past me while they were having their fun.

(They aren't even scared of me?)

(What's going on? This feels like a trap.)

I looked in front of me as I saw a giant tree with many branches, but it hasn't bloomed like the smaller trees in the netherworld, seemingly only half way there.

(Isn't that.....the Saigyou Ayakashi? The one Yuyuko is trying to revive whatever is in it?)

(There is a reason why it's sealed.)

It stood out as Sakura trees surrounded it in a circle, with it in the middle.

Soon, I was only ten paces from the tree as the atmosphere suddenly died down.

I looked around and saw there was no longer people tending to the trees or children playing around.

In front of me, there was a person, a familiar person, while I was chilled to the very bone.

(Yuyuko, when did it get cold in here?)

She had maroon eyes, short wavy pink hair, and is surrounded by several small formless ghosts. She is wearing a light blue and white kimono with dark blue trim, and a blue mop hat with a red ghost insignia on the front.

(That insignia looks more like a Dreamcast logo to me.)

"Admiring the beauty, i see?" said Yuyuko, casually.

I stood in shock and prepared to be alert.

(She isn't eating me yet. I must watch for any traps. Oh, I should respond.)

"Erm~, yes. And I am guessing ghosts don't usually look like those people I see" I commented.

Yuyuko looked confused and yawned.

"There was never any people here, are you sure the cherry trees aren't messing with you?" asked Yuyuko.

(Since when do trees have the power to hypnotize people?)

Yuyuko suddenly took out a meatbun in each hand from behind.

"Would you like one?" asked Yuyuko, making me narrow my eyes at her.

(Yuyuko giving away food? Madness! It must be a trap!)

I quickly shook my head as Yuyuko shrugged her shoulders and began to help herself with both of them in her mouth.

Quickly she swallowed them, making an uncomfortable image of a meatbun in her throat as it went down normally.

"Ah~, that was nice" commented Yuyuko, licking her lips.

I twitched, as she just happened to down two meatbuns at once.

(Lucky for her, since she's a ghost, she can't choke. Otherwise, she would have been dead a long time ago.)

"Anyway, now I wish for your death" said Yuyuko, suddenly condemning me.

I immediately took back ten paces as I braced myself.

(You are bipolar as hell!)

(She has the power to kill me instantly. But why isn't she doing that?)

"Your spring. My power will simply waste it. I need it. I wish for those legendary blossoms the tree brings behind me, and a person I wish to revive....that has been sealed unfortunately" said Yuyuko.

(You said that last part so nonchalantly.)

"I don't think I have any "spring" at all. Nor will my "death" be of any use to you" I said haltingly, trying to speak fancy.

"Ah but you see. I can control you once you are dead. And therefore be turned into one of my servants, you are invited to my flower-viewing event if you agree"

"No. I do not wish to die under your whim. What I want is for you to return the spring back to us!"

"Dearie~, Only a little while before the full bloom of this tree. Where are your manners? Selfishly stepping onto someone's garden to complain, that's not normal"

(...Do you even know what you are saying?)

Yuyuko began to look a little irritated even with her whimsical smile.

"What's not normal is you selfishly taking our spring only for a flower viewing, while others are probably dying in the winter we suffer" I said, mocking her own words.

Yuyuko looked defeated and continued to smile.

"That is true, but still my curiosity wonders for what lies in this tree when it blooms"

"Well, if it's been intentionally sealed up, It's probably better not to mess with it, right? Besides, we don't know what's sealed in it" I said.

"How can you say that after helping breaching through our barrier?" said Yuyuko, making wrinkles on her forehead pop up.

(You got me there. I better respond before I was shut up by a glutton of a ghost.)

"Yeah, whatever. So, what happens if you break this seal?" I said, ignoring her response.

"A perfect bloom will occur~" sung Yuyuko.

"Yeah? And?" I said, pretending to be uninterested.

"And at that time, a certain someone will be revived"

(Now here it goes again, does she even know who she is reviving?)

"Reviving people just for fun isn't good. And again, we don't know who will be revived at all."

"I've been inviting humans and youkai to their deaths just for fun. No problem."

(Wow....You might actually be more of a sadist than I think....maybe even more than that crazy flower girl.)

"Being able to bring death doesn't mean you know anything about bringing life. What if you revive something really nasty?"

(Answer that. I dare you.)

"We can't know before we try. And by the way, being here at this point in time is like dying. Being here in this place is equal to being dead."

(Then where's my sperm-sized spirit?)

"Well, even if I'm dead, I get to see some pretty flowers."

"If I could just have that bit of spring that you carry within you, I could see real cherry blossoms, with a 'certain someone'."

(Here we go again with the "spring")

"So!"

Yuyuko suddenly has a big oversized fan that was purplish blue with white outlines of a cart behind her as it folded out.

(Now I have always wondered. Do people with very large hitboxes always mean they are fat or gluttonous?)

"Will you fight for your spring, even if it means challenging me?" dared Yuyuko.

(Well, the odds are against me, but Reimu and Sakuya should come soon, it won't be long, especially since it's two against Youmu.)

(I can't die this easily, especially how far I come to help solve this incident. Help will come soon. I just gotta last as long as I can against Yuyuko.)

Again I braced myself, making Yuyuko giggle for some reason.

"Fufufu~, I wonder if I should eat you when I am done with you. You look like a fresh human, you will not be my first" threatened Yuyuko, licking her lips.

(That was just wrong, then again, whatever she says doesn't really make sense. And I'm still a fresh 17 year old!)

"I'm ready to fight, my friends will come and assist me too. When they are done with your..servant" I said, grinning.

Yuyuko smiled evilly, giving off an ominous feeling.

"Are you sure? Youmu is pretty good on her own. She should be able to fight off the embodiment of Greed and the dog of the devil" insulted Yuyuko indirectly.

(....I actually have to agree with their description of the two..)

"But it's two against one. Did you know that the "embodiment of greed" is extremely talented and "the dog of the devil" can stop time?"

"Either way, your time is limited. You have intruded on my property, therefore you will not interfere with the revival."

(Crap, this is bad. I know Yuyuko is far above my level, but I need to hold out till at least Reimu or Sakuya make it over here.)

Yuyuko began to hover up in the air with the fan behind her, until she reached the top of the tree.

(Let's try distracting her first with introductions.)

"Oh yes, My name is Ken" I said, hoping to stall for time.

Yuyuko just nodded her head with her smile while her hand was in her kimono.

"I have heard of you, I won't tell how i found out though. You can find out when you are in my control"

(For an airhead, Yuyuko sounds really clever and manipulative.)

"Heh, Don't expect me to succumb to you easily."

Yuyuko grinned even more at me, as her hand revealed a spell card.

"Good, because I intend to cook you alive" threatened Yuyuko.

(Too bad I'm used to danmaku.)

"Bring it ON!"

I braced myself...again standing on the ground as Yuyuko declared her first spell card.

"Lost Soul's Village! -Suicide-!"

**Marisa's POV**

(Okay. Getting past that annoying fairy was not fun. Why would you announce spring and attack someone at the same time?)

(Uuu~, this has been a bad day so far.)

I was above the clouds, with some parts of my clothes nipped in several places.

(First, I dropped all the stuff I borrowed from that doll girl. I get lost while following Ken. I get stuck in darkness, getting past that annoying fairy, and now I'm above the clouds? Where am i supposed to go from here? I wanna go home.)

I saw cherry petals just gliding over to an unknown place, with four columns sticking out of the clouds in front of it.

(I think I remember Ken saying to follow the petals, maybe this is where everyone is at. I don't want to miss out!)

Quickly I followed the petals as I neared closer and closer to the columns as I saw broken pieces of instruments.

(Me thinks a battle was here...usually when there's guards, there's something to be guarded..so then...)

My eyes lit up as I rushed into the place behind the four columns.

When I entered, I immediately saw stairs that towered up into the horizon, as I couldn't see the end. I quickly flied over it instead of running.

Also, I noticed that it was suddenly more warmer in here than out there as I felt somewhat more warmed.

(So this is where all the spring is! I'm going to borrow...err...take back the spring too!)

(Heh. All I am going to do is to borrow their stuff. I just gotta find it.)

(This might not be so much as a bad day anymore.)

(Eh~, Is that Reimu and....that maid?)

I saw Reimu and Sakuya, having trouble fighting off a person who had short silver hair, has a katana with a cherry blossom insignia and flower attached, and a wakizashi. She's wearing a dark green and white dress with several ghost insignias along the edges and breast pocket, and a black ribbon placed off-center on her hair. Along with a spirit that seems to be hovering next to her erratically.

The person kept turning into a blur as she keeps...slashing with her sword scattering the two, while Reimu and Sakuya parried with their gohei and knives.

"Enough! This should get rid of you both!"

She backed up really fast as Reimu and the maid hurriedly got close to one another, while I slowly hovered to them.

The person took out a spell card from her dress as she declared it.

"Hell God Sword! God's Flashing Slash!"

She puts her ghost half above and behind her, firing a continuous spiral of globe bullets down at Reimu and Sakuya, while she moved in closer to them. Then she just stood still as it looked like she was gathering cherry petals for a few seconds, and then she quickly turned into a blur moving to her right while slashing the air, creating two rifts above and below her, for a total of 5 rifts. The rifts quickly vanish after creating a vacuum, drawing in the globe bullets, and then a dense mass of red and blue round bullets of different sizes materialize from them, creating a line connecting the unknown person and her ghost half, with a loop around the ghost half. The danmaku goes down towards Reimu and Sakuya, spreading out to cover a lot of area. Shortly after, She repeats the same motion again. Her ghost half didn't stop shooting for even a moment.

(Uuu~, this looks like fun. I wanna join! Her swords look fun to keep as well!)

Quickly I took out my Hakkero I always kept on my head as I began to point it towards that girl, as I muttered tenderly to the Hakkero.

"I hope you hungry for some love, ze! Love Sign! Master Spark!"

Without warning, a white beam came from my Hakkero with insignias circling the beam with a sigil beneath my feet. It projected to the unknown sword girl as it canceled her spell just as she was gathering cherry blossoms, ridding away with the danmaku as they disappeared.

In the moment they were given, Reimu and Sakuya looked at me, and both grinned.

"Glad you could make it, Marisa. Do you mind giving us a hand?" asked Reimu.

"Yes. I like to get this done over with and hurry to Ken" said Sakuya.

(Huh? What happened to Ken?)

"Speaking of him, where is he?" I asked.

"He went on ahead since this was too dangerous for him, however, I believe that this sword girl may just be a guard which means..."

I opened my eyes really wide as I realized the danger Ken could be in, then I smirked.

"You're right, ze! Now, if it's three against one, wouldn't it be easier, daze~?" I said.

Reimu shook her head, as she seemed to be winded.

"No. She already had us scattered before, we couldn't even counter with her speed like that" said Reimu.

(Well then, the obvious answer to that is...)

"Well then, put some love into your attacks!" I exclaimed, noting their lack of passion in their attacks.

Reimu giggled as she rolled her eyes while Sakuya glared at me lazily, prepping her knives in her hands.

"I don't believe in intimacy with my knives" said Sakuya, emotionless.

"Well, whatever, ze!"

Meanwhile, my eyes glared over to the girl who simply took out another spell card!

"Asura Sword! Worldly Atonement!"

(I have a feeling this is going to take long...But I'm going to like this!!!)


	36. Perfect Blossom Chapter 8

**Omniscient-Third POV**

"Asura Sword! Worldly Atonement!"

"(I have a feeling this is going to take long. But I'm going to like this!)" thought Marisa.

"(I must hurry to My Lady once I am done)" thought Sakuya, concerned.

"(My money needs me.)" said Reimu, naturally being greedy.

The three girls were pitted against a lone girl who stands in their way.

They were on hovering above a staircase, where the end of the stairs at the top isn't seen.

Suddenly, the ground shakes as the girl gains power with a loud hum, her body crackles with pure energy with electricity crackles.

"I, Youmu, will protect my Mistress from the likes of you! Now, give me your spring!" demanded Youmu.

"(Spring? What is she talking about?)" thought Reimu, confused.

Suddenly, from Youmu's back, came many blue round bullets that went to her left, and red to the right, then she simply twirled her sword around while it was extended forward at a speed that rivals that of a tornado. It began drawing in the closest bullets as they twirled around along with the motion of the sword. As they came out of the swirling motion, they simply went forward at a faster pace than the rest of the bullets at the far flanks of Youmu whereas they simply just fall forward towards the three girls.

"(This is a surprising decrease in difficulty. Is she only stalling for time?)" thought Sakuya, observing the bullets.

The three girls fired back with Reimu using Homing Amulet, where she sends out blue homing ofuda towards Youmu, and Marisa used her illusion spark as her options fired out small white beams while she herself fires out two beams with the palm of her hands. Finally, Sakuya simply throws knives quickly as she reached in her dress for knives while in the other throwing them.

All three heard the low hum as they concentrated on grazing and attacking while staying away from the middle, although they are somewhat spread out with Marisa on the left side while Reimu and Sakuya are on the other side of the stairs.

"(shoot, shoot, shoot, shoot, cock head to left, shoot shoot shoot, cock it back, shoot shoot shoot, lean to the right, shoot shoot shoot)" thought Marisa, thinking out her actions.

Soon, they were able to beat Youmu's spell card when the girls heard the high hum, after a few seconds, all the bullets disappeared and Youmu began to crouch down.

"(What is she doing? This is not the time to be taking it easy!)" thought Reimu, irritated at her assailant's lenience.

"(For Father)" thought Youmu.

Suddenly, Youmu turned into a blur as she charged towards Sakuya, about to use an overhead strike.

Sakuya responded with using a knife in her right hand to block it above her head.

But when Youmu reached Sakuya, instead of an overhead strike, she quickly used the hilt of the blade and hit Sakuya in the chest as she dropped her knife from the impact, coughing blood. Youmu quickly goes behind her and propelled her into the stairs with a kick on the back.

Quickly, Youmu selected her next target, which is Reimu. Youmu went behind Reimu who readied her gohei to parry any strike to her chest, but she didn't expect the low reverse roundhouse kick Youmu did to her feet, flipping Reimu in the air, then she used her momentum and did a high reverse roundhouse kick to her chest, sending back Reimu to Sakuya, who was hit by a Reimu and fell down to the stairs again when she got back up...with a Reimu on her back.

While Reimu was being flipped, she took out some ofuda in her left hand and unleashed them towards Youmu while she was kicked back towards Sakuya. Nonetheless, Youmu cut them into ribbons with a single slash, soon glaring at Marisa, as Marisa became timid and immediately ran back towards Reimu and Sakuya, helping them up while Youmu took out a spell card.

"(Shoot! Uh, that hurts.)" thought Reimu, holding her chest.

"(Can't risk any injury now. That looks like it hurts really bad!)" said Marisa, looking at Sakuya dripping blood from her mouth.

"Coward! Human God Sword! Eternal Truth!" declared Youmu.

Youmu was now farther down the stairs than the three girls who were bracing themselves, despite Reimu and Sakuya holding their chests.

Youmu quickly moved to the left side of the stairs, and dashes quickly to the right side, aking somewhat of a rift with her sword. Then it began to make white shards as they came up to the the three girls, albeit very slowly.

"Is that it, ze?!" scoffed Marisa.

Sakuya coughed out more blood, wiping off the blood she had on her chin with her hand as she readies her knives.

Youmu smirked, quickly went up high in elevation and flew over the girls as she was now in front of them, now making the girls farther down the stairs.

Then she fired large round red bullets, launching one straight line directly at the girls, and one arcing line each to their left and right, as well as a semicircle of 7 similar lines opposite the ones launched at them.

All the girls did is shift a little bit to their respective directions to dodge the incoming bullets, but...

"Urk!" grunted all three girls.

All three were hit from behind by the shards coming from the rift as they lurched forward.

Reimu scratched her back just as Youmu was beginning to repeat the red large round bullet attack.

"You had to open your mouth! Why can't you keep your mouth shut!? There is something at more stake here and you are just making it harder! SHUT UP!" yelled Reimu, irritated at Marisa.

"Uuu~, You're the one who hit Sakuya! Why can't you control where you fly?!" yelled Marisa, getting red in the cheeks.

"Please! Ken's still up there, we don't know what's happening to him! Let's just finish this first!" yelled Sakuya.

"(There isn't much discipline is there? Such is the way of the witch, the miko, and the dog)" thought Youmu, disapproving of the three girls.

"You're right! We gotta finish this spell card!" yelled Reimu, rallied.

"(For Money!) Urk!"

"(For the precious thing!) Urk!"

"(For Ken....err My Lady!) Urk!"

Again they were hit from behind, and the front as they didn't watch out for the projectiles coming at them, as they fell onto the stairs, temporarily protected from the shards attacking from behind.

"ENOUGH! Spirit Sign! Fantasy Orb!" declared Reimu, taking out her card.

Quickly, Reimu got up and chanted something inexplicable, then 7 multicolored orbs came from behind Reimu as they accelerated towards Youmu.

Each exploded with their own respective color as they propelled Youmu into the stairs, soon making cracks where she landed.

The spell card canceled out the spell, giving the three a breather.

As soon as the explosions stopped, Youmu was coughing up blood into her sword that was planted on the ground, leaving a bloodstain on the tempered edge.

Youmu then quickly flew up into the air, although a little bit more weakened, she threateningly pointed the blade at Reimu.

"(Hmph, she's strong)" observed Reimu, acknowledging Youmu.

Youmu quickly dashes towards Reimu attempting to impale her through the heart.

But she missed as Sakuya luckily threw a knife to misdirect the sword into between Reimu and her arm.

Realizing this, Reimu tried to stab Youmu in the neck with the gohei trying to hit the Vegas nerve with the end being propelled with the palm.

But Youmu recovered from the shock and grabbed it with one hand, twisting it away from the hands of Reimu and swung it at her head, knocking her back down on the stairs.

Youmu threw it at Reimu like a javelin towards her stomach, and it hit, with Reimu's eyes open and coughing out blood.

Youmu proceeded to jump on Reimu on her stomach with her left foot.

Little did she know, she had a surprise waiting for her.

Sakuya quickly stopped time and carefully placed a knife just below Youmu's foot.

When she placed the knife and froze it in time even when time started again, she caught a glimpse of Reimu and Marisa.

Reimu was still coughing up blood with the scarlet viscous liquid in the air, while Marisa was seen charging towards Youmu with her broom along with the straw end towards the ground, her feet in mid-air.

Then she manipulated Reimu's body so it had some distance from Youmu while she was leaning on her gohei.

"Enjoy" said Sakuya, grinning.

She snapped her fingers after getting next to Reimu, starting up time again as Youmu stepped on the knife.

Sakuya and Youmu both opened their eyes widely, as the knife pierced through the foot, with the blade sticking out through the foot.

"Aiyah~!" screeched Youmu.

Youmu quickly dropped her sword and lifted her foot up to try to remove it while twitching in pain, her ghost half was shaking erratically as well as her human self.

Just as she was able to take it cleanly in one quick motion, she threw it at Marisa, who stopped, and simply just moved her broom so it pierced the wood.

While Youmu was about to grab her sword on the stair steps, Sakuya was already above her in the air as she flipped, then she gave a nice axe kick to the top of her head.

Youmu's head was faceplanted to the stairs with a loud thud, leaving cracks as Sakuya quickly withdrew to Reimu's side, who fell on her stick.

"(Argh~, I'm about to run out of cards here. But I must hold out much longer!)

"Stop fighting, ze! There's no point! Take us to your master!" yelled Marisa, thinking Youmu as another futile guard.

"No! I will hold you back tenderly...er...tenaciously!" yelled Youmu, filled with bravado.

Youmu got back up with her sword while sheathing it and flied to the air, with a spell card in hand.

"Deva God Sword! Components of Konpaku!" declared Youmu, holding out her card.

Youmu crouched in the air, with both hands on the sword in the sheath, twitching from pain coming from the impaled wound on her foot.

She then launches three-way spread columns of globe bullets, with the center column aimed at the girls.

Youmu quickly unsheathed the sword and slashed the air many times, making multicolored arrow bullets materialize in 3 thick intersecting lines, with Youmu at the center, over top the globe bullets, and extending similarly behind her. The slashes made vacuums in the air, as a result, the arrow bullets then begin flying inward, creating a dense spread effect as they all move in a quick pace, as no one except for someone with the quickest reaction time can react to this.

When the arrows moved inwardly, Youmu proceeded to do the whole thing again, not giving a breather in between attacks, relentlessly attacking the three girls.

Reimu, who recently got up from falling again, and Marisa quickly looked at the multitude of arrows, thought "(That's too much, especially with my/her condition.)"

"(I'm wasting time, I should be borrowing stuff right now)" thought Marisa.

"(Someone could be "borrowing" my money right now.)" thought Reimu.

They all desperately tried to dodge the incoming barrage of the arrows while firing back, hearing the low hum once again.

"(Just...a little bit longer...)" said Youmu, struggling.

"Quick! There's a gap in that place right there, attack her from there!" said Sakuya.

There was a noticeable gap that was devoid of arrows in the middle.

All three quickly moved up, having to dodge the very fast globe bullets.

Then as soon as they got there, Marisa pointed her broom at Youmu like a gun, Reimu readied two ofuda in each hand, and Sakuya readied some knifes in between her fingers.

"(Radial Strike!)"

"(Cautionary Border!)"

"(Magic Star Sword!)"

Marisa shot out a large green glowing star with a star trail as it propelled towards Youmu very fast.

Reimu threw out her ofuda making two glowing yet flashing walls with inscriptions on it as it protected all three girls against the onslaught of the spell card, but unfortunately, she was bound into the ground as she need to meditate if she were to handle maintaining two walls to protect and let some projectiles bypass.

Sakuya threw out her knives in a tight circle formation under the influence of time acceleration, making it go with uncanny speed as it glowed blue with a blue trail.

Both attacks managed to hit home as Youmu was pushed back up the stairs, with the spell card canceled making all the bullets disappear, then Reimu discontinued the two shields, tired out.

All three were sweating in an otherworldly world as they went up the stairs quickly to see what happened to their adversary.

"(Does she have anything on her?)" thought Marisa, getting really greedy.

"(That sword looked valuable. I should sell it to Kourin, and get more money!)" thought Reimu, getting even more greedier than Marisa.

Reimu had a smile on her face with money signs in her eyes.

"(Ken, Please be still alive)" thought Sakuya.

Sakuya on the other hand, looked worried for Ken's safety as she was blushing but was very determined to find Ken.

Youmu was not enjoying what she was going through at all.

She was propelled straight to the Tengu gate, her head impacted the wooden entrance, with the knives sticking her in place by her shoulders and her arms. This made Youmu do some sort of a crucifix pose, her mouth was bleeding, while her clothes began to show signs of bloodstains with the knives in her body.

She vomited up blood as it made a stain on the last stair step, her sword hit the gate and was impaled straight through it, right next to Youmu's head.

In her blurry vision, she could see three figures rushing up the stairs.

"(No, No, No! I will not fail my father and my mistress!)" thought Youmu, becoming more and more vehement.

Youmu, after a few seconds, took out the knives in her body, wincing at the pain along with the increasing hemorrhaging with the knives removed.

She floated in the air and took out her sword with her muscles crying in pain, the intense sharp pain made Youmu cry, but still did she not dare to give up.

She landed on the ground on her feet, next to Ken's pile of clothing, wincing in pain from her injury on her foot once again and her other wounds. Youmu's knees buckled, her foot bleeding into the ground.

She spread her feet apart with the katana in one hand and the short sword in the other, there were several tears in her clothing, revealing many cuts with her white skin exposed. Her sandal on the left foot broke off thanks to the knife that impaled her straight through the foot.

She had determination in her eyes, with an angry stare at the three girls, as they stood before her.

"This...is...as...far...as you GO! One...more..step...and the mistress....will kill you...before you know it!" threatened Youmu.

"(Shut up Deceased one)" thought Marisa.

"(I...will not....fail..Yuyuko!)" thought Youmu.

Youmu had fire in her eyes as the pain gone away from her mind, she vehemently stood in the way of three overpowering girls as a sentinel.

"(I must...not..think of pain...it will distract me.....concentrate!)" thought Youmu, her vision becoming slightly more crisper.

Quickly, Marisa quickly charged towards her with a broom in her hand about to hit her with an uppercut as planned.

"DROP DEAD You USELESS GATEKEEP...GUARD!" yelled Marisa, correcting herself mid-way.

Sakuya twitched from that statement.

"(China needs to get stronger, too bad I can't hire her)" thought Sakuya.

However Youmu could only see her in her vision a black and white figure, a figure about to assault her.

"(FOOL!)"

Youmu quickly parried her uppercut from her broom with the short sword, and began to strike her with an overhead slash with the katana, however it was not the edge that made contact.

When Youmu hit Marisa on the shoulder with the side of the blade, Marisa was in shock as a column of purple-colored energy struck Marisa down, then Youmu grabbed her by the neck.

"You intolerant Avici!" yelled Youmu.

She threw her out into the open, towards the mansion. But she didn't know, nor did she care.

"Ya~!" shrieked Marisa.

Marisa flew into the air, her mind was going too crazy to think of even stopping in the air.

*Crash*

Youmu's wounds bleed out into the open, as her clothing began to drip blood too, a puddle of blood stood near her.

"(need....much...longer..)" thought Youmu.

Only now carried by adrenaline, Youmu swiftly took out her last spell card.

Sakuya and Reimu looked on with disdain, with different opinions in mind.

"(She's going to get herself killed! She needs to stop!)" thought Reimu, seeing her opponent maddened.

"(Why can't Meiling be like her?! She could throw that witch out easily!)" thought Sakuya.

"Six Realms Sword! Ageless Obsession!" declared Youmu.

Youmu floated up to the air, her bleeding stopped, and creates a square pentagram-like pattern. The pentagram turns into a mass of arcing purple arrow bullets, flying in all directions, covering the air in danmaku. Then she repeats the attack almost immediately after the danmaku begins to move, giving the two no chance to rest.

Sakuya and Reimu got right to dodging, but it was much harder since Youmu was right above them and they have to look directly up in discomfort.

"She doesn't look like she has much more left to give, one final strike should take her out, Sakuya what do you suggest?" asked Reimu.

Sakuya was too busy to respond, she couldn't concentrate on shooting let alone give an answer, Youmu wasn't about to give up just yet.

"(How can you talk and concentrate at a time like this?)" asked Marisa.

"Fine! I'll finish her myself! Treasure Tool! Yin-Yang Demon God Orb!"

Reimu held up her hands and soon a huge ying yang ball appeared on her hands, then it glowed blue with so much luminance it rivals that of stars, Reimu hefts it to Youmu...like how that one guy throws a spirit bomb.

Youmu did not have the energy to dodge nor did she not cancel her spell card"despite the fact it was dissipating the bullets near it, but it got smaller each time it did. When it got up to Youmu, it was the size of a tennis ball when it made contact.

Like a low blow, it hit her in the stomach and it canceled her spell card as she fell beside the gate. her swords landing right next to her...

Again her wounds gave way as she began to bleed on the ground...her vision was becoming more and more blurry with black outlines noticeable.

"I...am....sorry...father..Yuyuko" said Youmu, her voice crackling.

Her voice turned into a whisper as she closed her eyes.

Then she passed out when she last tried to stand up again, but fell in her puddle.

Sakuya looked at her with disdain again, while Reimu put her hand on her neck.

"She was a challenge. Don't you agree Reimu?" asked Sakuya.

Reimu nodded as she stood back up and looked at Sakuya.

"I agree. She's still alive, I just checked, she's just unconscious right now" said Reimu.

"(That's very hard to believe if there's a puddle of blood near her)" thought Sakuya.

Then both noticed Myon, Youmu's ghost self, falling next to Youmu, it just laid right next to her in the puddle, without moving its tail.

"(I feel....sad...for her. She tried to protect her...........KEN!)" thought Sakuya.

Quickly, Sakuya flied over Youmu and went down the path, Reimu noticed and quickly followed.

"(Ken.)"

Sakuya flied as fast as she could without bothering to stop time to get to him faster, she was already on the fight or flight situation, she couldn't think clearly.

She saw Ken struggling against Yuyuko, his movements sluggish and weak.

"Hmm~, I was wrong. I may not eat you after all" commenting Yuyuko, glaring at Sakuya.

Ken had a multitude of cuts on him as he slowly turned his head to move back.

Ken smiled, relieved that help arrived.

"(It looks I'm not going to die from a suicidal glutton after all)" thought Ken.

Sakuya smiled back, with Reimu just arriving, still panting from the recent battle.

"Need some help?" asked Sakuya.


	37. Perfect Blossom Chapter 9

**Ken's POV**

"Lost Soul's Village! -Suicide-!" declared Yuyukno.

(Alright, This is a really big boss. I can do this....or at least hold out until Sakuya and Reimu get here.)

Yuyuko was up in the air in front of the Saigyou Ayakashi at the canopy level while I flew up in the air to meet her on the same elevation.

Yuyuko had the same whimsical smile she always had while she tilted her head and smiled even more.

(The fact she's smiling like that is creeping me out....)

A light breeze went through us as Yuyuko fires light blue, yellow, and green lines of waving arrow bullets with 2 lines each of blue and yellow on one side, two lines of green with a line of blue in between on the other, at first aimed upward, but then they slowly redirected themselves downward.

(This looks easy, I could graze this, since it's colorful, I can tell it apart easier.)

I merely moved my body parts little by little as they approached me, while I anticipated her next attack.

(This can't be it. There has to be more than this.)

Nonetheless, I began to be less alert as Yuyuko lacked a challenge to her danmaku.

As the lines of danmaku begin to reach the bottom, Yuyuko fires a purple beam straight to the side that had 4 lines of bullets to begin with, and then arcs it above her, with the beam spreading into five as it arcs around, and stopping once the first beam is straight below her.

(Holy shit.)

I lowered in elevation and moved to the right when it came to me, barely dodging the beams.

Immediately I retaliated with my Seeking sand attack as the small white particles reach Yuyuko and impacted her, giving off a low hum I could mysteriously hear.

The beams disappeared as another purple beam appeared on Yuyuko's other side as she arcs it, while turning around with it now.

(What the hell? Now she's having fun?)

A bullet suddenly hit me on my arm as it helped me to become more alert, shrugging off the bullet as nothing.

(God. It still kinda hurts, but that shouldn't matter right now. I gotta stay focused!)

Yuyuko brought around the beams as they ended up the opposite side now, and twirling around at the same time.

(She really needs to........FOCUS!)

Luckily I dodged it, but then I hit another bullet on my other arm.

(This is really getting irritating, she keeps distracting me by not taking this seriously!)

I looked at Yuyuko for a split second before focusing on the bullets.

(How is she still smiling at a time like this?)

Again and again, Yuyuko repeated her attack while I still heard a low hum.

(Yuyuko is actually still on her first spell card, already aggravating me.)

While I had been grazing her beams, my shirt had gotten singed a little bit on my left arm. Luckily it didn't reach skin while my shirt looked very burnt on the left arm part.

Suddenly the low hum changed to a high hum as I smiled.

(Oh thank goodness.)

I kept using Seeking Sand as I lifted up my left leg up to dodge two waves of bullets.

But then I was in a position vulnerable to the beams as they came around about to hit me.

(No!)

Then the bullets stopped and turned into cherry petals as they floated to the ground.

(Eh? Did I stop them?)

I noticed I wasn't hearing a hum anymore as I still fired my Seeking Sand.

(Oh, her spell is canceled.)

Yuyuko still had a smile on her face, but she looked more irritated than usual.

"Uuu~, I was having fun too. You're aren't as easy as you look to cook" complained Yuyuko.

(Of course I'm not, I recently went through a sadistic Currahee. I'm not going to be cooked that easily!)

I smiled and shrugged my shoulders, mocking her.

Yuyuko smiled back but she looked even more irritated as a vein became noticeable on her forehead.

"Of course. I'm not always right. Let's test and see. Fufufu~" said Yuyuko, grinning as she cackled.

She took out a spell card from her outfit as she simply let it drop to the ground along with the cherry petals.

The big unfolded fan behind Yuyuko glowed yellow for a second before reverting back to a violet magenta color.

(Oh here comes another one.)

When it hit the ground, the card grew yellow as long but thin purple streaks of light came out of it before disappearing altogether.

(Where's my special effects on my cards?)

After watching the card disappear, I looked at Yuyuko who shrugged.

(.If she has special effects, hmm~, imagine Remilia and her spell cards.)

"Deadly Dance! Mortality -Demon World-!" declared Yuyuko.

(Wouldn't "Ghost World" be more fitting?)

I heard the low hum again as Yuyuko fires off four lines of spiraling 'butterfly' bullets which rotate around her.

(Hmm~, they don't even look like butterflies at all, just that faint outline with the actual round bullet in the middle.)

She then also fires a spiral of globe bullets while currently firing butterflies.

(And they are all cool colors, why am I not surprised?)

I merely shuffled to the left and to the right as it was an easy pattern, then I shimmy to squeeze in between some butterfly bullets and a globe bullet.

I even began to snap in rhythm with both of my hands as it was just too easy.

Yuyuko swiped the air with her hand.

"Um~, what's that supposed to mean? You hatin' on my dance?" I said, noticing Yuyuko swiping the air.

While she made another spiral of globe bullets, they began to home in towards me once the spiral was finished while Yuyuko giggled.

I looked at the homing bullets surprised while I was still snapping.

(So you hate it, That don't mean you gotta crush it!)

Quickly I turned about 45 degrees to the left and did a reverse pelvic thrust to dodge the incoming spiral, while Yuyuko was making another one.

(You have got to be kidding me.)

Suddenly I felt a large burn on my ass as I lowered in elevation and stood properly.

"Stop hitting my ass with your butterflies!" I yelled, feeling an uncomfortable burn on my ass.

(I totally regret not making my tushie insensible either.)

"Fufufu~, shouldn't you be concentrating right now?" teased Yuyuko.

(She got me there. Damn you Dance Dance Revolution!)

Then Yuyuko finished the spiral as it headed right towards me. I did the sensible thing this time and dodged to my left once they homed in to my position.

After that, I got right into dodging the butterflies again.

Yuyuko looked sullen for a second then changed back to her whimsical smile while I dodged the homing bullets.

The rest of the globe spirals Yuyuko did were homing as I followed the same procedure, Move to a different 'devoid of any butterflies' location and dodge the incoming butterflies. I didn't get hit ever since a butterfly hit my ass during the card as the low hum changed to a high hum.

(I was getting tired of this spell anyway, ever since my ass got burned with a bullet, I never slacked off in this spell again.)

Quickly, I maneuvered through the butterflies as my Seeking Sand attack was hitting the fan as well.

(Hmm~. Why is it that she is affected by the huge fan, why did she have it in the first place if it was a disadvantage like that?)

While I was pivoting right to dodge the incoming globe bullets, they all imploded into cherry petals again as they fell to the ground lightly like a feather.

I took this moment to grab a breather as I became tired of quickly going left and right, even if it didn't leave me winded.

Yuyuko's eyes became really big with her mouth curving upwards toward her nose with her eyebrows resembling a half circle, along with tears in her eyes.

(What the hell?)

"Why are you crying?" I asked, confused.

Yuyuko's tears reached to the bottom of her cheek as it fell.

"Uuu~, you're making it really hard for me to let me eat you! I knew I shouldn't have skipped dinner for this" complained Yuyuko, holding her stomach.

(Yuyuko, you bipolar bitch. You would go skip a meal? That's madness, either that or she sensed us coming.)

Yuyuko took out another spell card from her outfit as it fell to the floor again, but this time it just went through like a ghost.

(Eh? Where's the special effects?)

I looked confused as I looked at Yuyuko, who looked a bit irritated.

"This will cook you! Flowery Soul! Butterfly Illusion!"

(Note to self: Never bring Yuyuko to a Mcdonalds if I ever go back, no matter how dirt cheap Mcdonalds is.)

(Heh, She would even eat the clown. I never did like that clown again ever since the McRoll.)

Yuyuko proceeded to fire a slow moving spread of small clusters of tiny white bullets along with 3 layered circular bursts of large blue round bullets.

I also saw something else in the pattern as I strained my eyes and looked at it.

(Damn, I can't see through this easy pattern, what is it? It seems to be going towards me.)

When it came out into the open before being shadowed by the bullets again, It looked like a spiraling group of spirits leaving ghost-like trails.

(What the? it looks very suspicious.)

As soon as it got close to me, the spirits converged into the middle, releasing 3 circles of butterfly bullets.

(Holy, I knew there was something going on with that THING!)

The circles extended outwards when I instinctively leaped to my left, making me hit about five white bullets on my arm on the way.

"OW!" I yelled.

The pain felt really sharp as I covered my arm and looked at it, where my sleeve had been burned, now it was nipped with cuts on my arm.

(Crap....This....)

Suddenly, another surge of pain reached my head as I felt my back being cut.

I lurched forward and looked behind me, it was the butterfly bullets that converged into itself, transforming into spirits.

(Crap, I need to get out of the way. I'm insensitive against danmaku burns not slices!)

"Tsk Tsk Tsk, can't you focus properly?" teased Yuyuko.

(Grr, Shut up!)

"Fool me once. Shame on me. Fool me twice. Shame on ghost" I stated, getting cocky.

(I had enough with this. She's really starting to tick me off with her taking it easy.)

I pulled out a spell card with my hand in my jeans as I saw cuts on the back of my right arm but I didn't know it..and..

(My...My clothes...WHY?!)

I fell sullen as a sudden surge of rage swept through my body, my shirt and jeans had so many cuts on them from the butterflies as a teardrop reached the end of my cheek. Goosebumps swept my arms as I grew a very dangerous aura.

"No! I just got them yesterday!" I despondently yelled.

Yuyuko kept on attacking relentlessly as she became surprised at how I merely ignore her butterflies and bullets.

I took on her hits like it was nothing, as I wanted to tear her apart for ruining my new clothes.

(God I am so An...)

I had fire in my eyes as I declared my spell card, and then pointed at her with my other hand.

"My name is Ken. You have killed my clothes. Prepare to die. Split Sign! Splitting Beam!" I declared, feeling warm energy rush to my hands.

"Clothes? You can't kill..."

I held out both of my hands and put them together in some kamehameha pose, interrupting Yuyuko.

Then out came a tiny beam from in between the palms of my hands.

I was steadily gaining cuts on my body as Yuyuko looked on with a disgusted glare.

"My name is Ken. You have killed my clothes. Prepare to die" I repeated.

"So be it."

Yuyuko kept on firing with her spell card when the beam grew in my hands to the tips of my fingers, making a similar spark compared to Marisa's but no 'whir' sound from it.

Yuyuko looked more and more disheartened as her spirits and the bullets were nullified in front of the spark.

The spark hit Yuyuko dead on in the head as she tried to open her mouth.

"Bleh! Spicy!" commented Yuyuko loudly, breathing in air like a jet intake.

I slowly moved the palms apart as i made two sparks the size of my hand, splitting it, as they now hit the fan.

"My name is Ken. You have killed my dog. Prepare to die."

"What? Stop saying that! I haven't even killed your dog. He sounds delicious though....Urk!"

"I don't give a whatever if you sexually assaulted my dead dog, My name is Ken, You killed my dog and clothes. Prepare to die."

The sparks split again into fiery balls as they move off to the side, but before that, they unleashed a blue single shot for each ball at Yuyuko.

The final attack finished her spell card as the fan folded up behind Yuyuko, with her getting really mad as I regained my common sense.

(....How did my dog get into this?)

"Uuu~, stop saying that! You're making me not want to eat you anymore!"

"Good then! You ghost glutton!"

Yuyuko opened her eyes wide with her hand over her wide open mouth before reaching into her clothes for another spell card while making a very uncomfortable whimsical smile.

"Yah~!"

(Eh? That sounds like Marisa...)

I looked up into the air and so did Yuyuko as we saw a person out of control in the air as she descended.

She had blond hair along with a black blouse with a large witch's hat.

(Yep that's her. Where the hell was she anyway?)

Then we heard a crash as Yuyuko twitched, hearing Marisa falling through wood and glass.

"Not my mansion...this is not a good day" whined Yuyuko.

(Who should I feel sorry for? Marisa or Yuyuko...a hard conundrum if you actually think about it. Marisa is going to be hurt after crashing through her mansion. But then she could steal things from Yuyuko along with her mansion being destroyed. This is a hard conundrum after all.)

Yuyuko fell sullen for a few seconds, before she looked at me again with an angry glare.

"Hmph! Still! You are no longer good enough to be even my snack! Repository of Hirokawa! Divine Soul!" declared Yuyuko.

(I think I got her really mad when I was raging.)

Yuyuko creates 5 circular bursts of butterfly bullets, the colors being green-yellow-blue-yellow-green. The butterflys spiral outward for a bit, and then quickly launch outward, creating lines of bullets across the distance. Yuyuko then fires four arcs of butterfly bullets to her sides, alternating between blue and purple, and left and right.

My reflexes became dulled since when I moved to my left to graze a bullet, I hit one on my left on my thigh, cutting my jeans.

I noticed the severe lack of energy I had as I felt really lethargic like a huge weight is burdening me.

Then suddenly, I hit twice in my stomach, knocking the breath out of me as I saw an X-shaped cut on my shirt.

Soon my reflexes brought me down to the point where I had cuts everywhere on my body as I breathed in deeply and quickly as I became exhausted, my clothes ripped apart, luckily my extremities have been ignored. I moved sluggishly through the air as I couldn't react fast enough.

My vision blurred in and out while looking at Yuyuko, who seemed to be back at being happy, but she also looked a bit despondent.

"Fufufu, what's wrong Ken? What happened to your high focus, what happened to killing me?" cackled Yuyuko.

I floated down to the ground and dropped to the ground on my knee for a second.

"Hah...Hah" I breathed.

I was breathing in deeply, almost now disheartened at how the tables were suddenly turned.

(I shouldn't have gotten so angry.)

"A meal like you would certainly be nice tasting the irony, if you were even nice enough to let me do so in the first place!" complained Yuyuko.

Yuyuko licked her lips as I had trouble seeing, being more sadistic than I ever thought she was.

(Crap, I need to...)

I withstood cuts on my head as it cut my cheeks and one close to the eye.

"Don't worry. I'll forgive you for interrupting my flower-viewing, if you serve as an accompaniment meal for the person I will revive" offered Yuyuko, obviously joking.

"Hah...Hah...No...."

My voice became a little bit hoarse as I stood up and slowly pulled out a card from my pocket.

"I will..hah..get...spring...back...hah" I breathed, gaining back my confidence.

Yuyuko closed her eyes, cocked her head to the side, and whimsically smiled, whilst keeping up the relentless barrage.

(Why...do you have to look....so damn innocent...when you are killing me?)

"So be it. Prepare to be cooked!"

I weakly held up my spell card, then I dropped it, while barely declaring it"

"Seeker Sign! Ambush!" I declared while my voice was hoarse.

I finally started my Seeking Sand attack, as I heard a low hum, then 15 globe bullets came to my flanks on each flank.

"Go...hah..hah"

They all rushed towards Yuyuko where she had to cancel her spell card to move out of the way quickly when she didn't notice them earlier.

Yuyuko shook her head to the side.

"Surely Ken, even in your state, couldn't you have done better? Fufufu, I wonder what a human filet tastes like" teased Yuyuko, now becoming the one who isn't taking the battle so easily.

(You...glutton...fool)

I weakly smiled as Yuyuko caught me and became confused.

"Why are you smiling? You just missed..."

Just when she asked that, all the fifteen globe bullets imploded into disks as they again charged to Yuyuko at high-velocity.

However, Yuyuko closed her eyes again and dropped down in altitude and moved to the left slightly, with her creepy smile, dodging my disks, flying off to nowhere.

"Fufufu, the name of your card makes it so obvious. Pity" said Yuyuko.

"What..hah..How.."

I turned off my Seeking Sand attack as I became more and more unsuccessful in my attacks, now losing hope as well.

(....Damn....)

"Now, do you wish to resign your life to m-.....Hmm~, I was wrong. I may not eat you after all" said Yuyuko.

(What?)

I took many weak steps to brace myself again when I slowly looked to my right.

I smiled, relieved that help has arrived.

(They made it, of course they would. It looks I'm not going to die from a suicidal glutton after all.)

My energy slowly returned along with hope, I saw Sakuya smiling back, with Reimu just arriving, still panting from possibly being barred by Youmu.

(Was she really trouble to the two of them?)

"Need some help?"

"Hah..Please?" I said, recovering at the sign of hope.

My vision became crisp and clear again as I braced myself, along with Sakuya and Reimu doing the same thing.

"Hmm~, I'm sorry, but I'm afraid you are far too late. It is already 80% before it can start" said Yuyuko, shaking her head.

(How do you know that?)

She pulled out a spell card with a deadly smile on her face.

"This may be my last spell card. Sumizome Perfect Blossom! -Bloom-!" declared Yuyuko.

"Then let's make it quick!" yelled Sakuya, reaching in her outfit.

Yuyuko began unleashing a nearly solid 5 layered circular spread of globe bullets, as she reopens her big ass fan behind her. She then fires butterfly bullets in lines diagonally downward in both directions towards us, which then split into 3, and fly in a small circular pattern, before turning into short lines of butterflies. The butterflies created alternate between purple and blue.

the Saigyou Ayakashi behind Yuyuko begins releasing slow moving purple shard bullets, flying straight up and down moving like snow.

(Is it really that close to being unsealed?)

"Reimu! With me! Speed Sign! Luminous Ricochet!" declared Sakuya.

(I never did like that spell card in Scarlet Weather Rhapsody...cheap...and she sounds like that one kid from Lucha Libre.)

Reimu, who was already firing homing blue ofuda, nodded.

"Divine Spirit! Fantasy Seal!"

Sakuya unleashed a very fast knife that glowed blue with a blue trail as it made its way towards Yuyuko.

It immediately went through her and hit her fan, then her, then the fan, then so on, as it continues to ricochet back forth between Yuyuko and the fan.

I heard a cry of pain from Yuyuko as her spell card was canceled, her bullets turning into cherry petals, floating to the ground like snow.

She couldn't reach the knife as she tried to grab it, but it went so quick as it ricocheted her entire body back and forth.

Reimu conjured up several giant multicolored orbs as they made their way towards Yuyuko with increasing acceleration.

When they hit, a colored explosion corresponding to which orb hit occurred for each orb.

The last I heard from Yuyuko was a scream as the impacts were heard.

I simply stood and watched the fireworks, feeling my energy being sapped again.

(....Overkill...)

When the explosions finally stopped with the knife landing in front of Sakuya's feet, she was gone, along with the fan, as the orbs hit everywhere.

All I saw were cherry petals, as they floated through the air.

(Is it...finally over?)

Reimu was panting heavily as she dropped her gohei, while Sakuya picked up her knife and put it back in her maid outfit.

"Is...hah...she...hah..dead?" asked Reimu, exhausted.

(That last attack obviously took a lot of Reimu's energy.)

Immediately, with my vision blurring in and out now. I saw a blue translucent silhouette of a person standing in the air as she unfolded her fan and pointed them towards us threateningly.

"Hah...Hah...Who's...that?" I asked, while my legs buckled.

(My energy....I'm losing...it.)

"Resurrection Butterfly! 80% Reflowering!"

She launches a circular burst of red butterfly bullets, while launching red and blue lasers in 6 directions.

That was the last I saw before I dropped onto the ground and laid there on my stomach, my energy and the cuts taking its toll, with the sharp pain coming to my senses now, along with a pool of blood that I felt.

(Crap....no.)

The last thing I remembered before blacking out was a clatter of metallic things on the floor. And a voice.

"KEN~!"


	38. Perfect Blossom Chapter 10

**Ken's POV**  
(Ugh. Where the hell am I?)

I found myself in a blue toilet stall sitting on a soft toilet seat.

I looked at myself and saw I was wearing the same thing, but it looked like I just bought it, with no rips or anything.

I saw that I haven't took off my pants, I was just sitting on the stall, no business to do.

(What the hell am I doing here then?)

"Thank you Yuka, for your performance. Now if you please.."

A voice echoed through the bathroom as I unlatched the lock after getting up and walking through.

(Yuka? What?)

I chuckled as I looked around in my surroundings while closing the stall door.

(Hmm~, ...I seem to be in a public restroom, but this dream better be interesting.)

I saw a brown push in door with a metal square that could possibly the way out of this room, since it was the only door.

When I went through the door, I was immediately met by a dark atmosphere, seeing tables and chairs with a big stage.

Lights were seen on the ceiling as a girl with shoulder-length wavy green hair with red eyes, wearing a plaid red skirt and jacket with a simple white shirt underneath left the stage while carrying a wine-red Gibson Les Paul.

(Yuka? A guitarist? You're kidding me.)

Then I saw someone else on the stage, a somewhat medium-tall person who had platinum blond hair and sky blue eyes as she had the microphone in her hand, with a stand in front of her.

(Hmm~, she looks kinda familiar.)

"I thank you all for coming to the club for these musically talented people. Now we close, please exit the club and come again tomorrow!" said the platinum Blondie.

She said the last part cheerfully as she put it back on the stand.

However, when I looked around, there was no one in the club as I only saw the blonde girl, Yuka, and three other people.

Two people in black and white suits with sunglasses stood before one girl who was sitting, she had dark red eyes and long blue hair. She was in her lingerie with fishnet leggings crossing her legs. She was smoking a cigarette as she brought it to her lips. There was a hat on the girl's head with peaches.

After taking a long drag, she merely threw it away behind her, pelting the Men in Black.

(Is that Tenshi? And why does she look so slutty?)

"Are you done, girl? I'm a very busy woman. Please hurry and get the hell out of here before I set one of my guys on you" threatened Tenshi.

(Wow, impatient much?)

"I'm not a mere girl, I am Enden! And at least I can talk better than you can ****!" snapped Enden, smiling at her remark.

(Oh Enden! I haven't heard that name ever since I read "Tripped into Gensokyo." How are you going to counter that one Tenshi, especially from a person who has been gender-swapped?)

"Augh! How dare you! Speak to someone who is in a higher class than you! Sic em boy!" scoffed Tenshi.

One of the Men in Black grunted and quickly moved to release a wild haymaker at Enden, but Enden was pushed out of the way by Yuka in time as Yuka met the guy's knuckle with hers.

The Man In Black brought back his hand quickly and whimpered in pain as he shook his hand.

Tenshi was unimpressed. "Hmph! Don't just stand there crying like a baby! You!"

She pointed to the other person that was behind her, who looked the same as the one crying about his hand.

"Give her a nice spanking like you do to me!" said Tenshi.

(Wow, Tenshi would really be a great porn star.)

Hurriedly, the other guy came and threw a chop at Yuka's neck, but she was preparing for him to come.

Enden went ahead and got behind me, trying to hide from them.

"Hey, when did you get here?" whispered Enden, timidly putting her hands on my shoulders.

"To be honest, I have no clue" I said, shrugging my shoulders.

Yuka then used her guitar, holding it by the neck, and slammed it against the chin of the other guy, sending him through the roof causing some wood to fall.

Then she twirled it around and around on her back before sending the other guy through the roof as well.

(Never, never again do I want butchering happening to the instrument.)

"Hmph! I guess I have to do things my way!" said Tenshi, uncrossing her legs.

She got up and simply walked over to Yuka, about to throw a punch.

(Hey, I want a say in this too!)

Right before she hit Yuka, I pimp-slapped Tenshi in the face as she had a shocked expression on her face.

"Do that again!" demanded Tenshi.

Again I slapped her but on the other cheek and twice as hard, sending her to the wall.

When she looked back at me, she blushed and put her hand up through the back of my shirt when she got up and walked over to me, caressing me lightly on the back.

(Is she trying to seduce me? She's doing a good job I know that....but she fails.)

"Say....why don't we go somewhere else? I'll apologize and pay these two girls, if you give me a service first" said Tenshi in a sultry voice.

(Are you asking me to have sex with you? Eh, What should I do!? My Libido is rising, but she tried to hurt these girls.)

I looked over at Enden, who had a disgusted look on her face and kept shaking her head. Yuka had an emotionless glare while she still braced herself with the guitar.

(Hmmm, Yuka as a potential bodyguard. What if she was the Terminator?)

(Nah, Shou is a better terminator than her.)

Suddenly, while Tenshi was caressing my back up and down with her hand, she lifted her leg up and brought it up to my thighs as she got closer and closer. Then she put her other hand on my chest as it slowly 'fell' towards my pants, then it went in while she moaned.

(Aw hell no!)

I slapped Tenshi down to the ground with so much force that there was a little earthquake that lasted 5 seconds.

I looked at Enden, who giggled at Tenshi and then she looked up at me, elated.

I held out my hand and pointed at Tenshi's face, who looked drunk.

"Ohh~, that felt so good" said Tenshi.

(Ladies and Gentlemen, sadistic masochism at its best)

"She's yours. Do whatever you want to her" I said, not wanting to do anything with the slut on the ground.

Enden nodded and with her boots, she curb-stomped Tenshi so many times in the face that there became to be a pool of blood around her head, and money.

(So maybe something about your head being worth a lot of money is true! Hmm~.)

After Enden was done with stomping Tenshi in the face, she looked me in the face and smiled.

"Thanks. She was a bitch" said Enden.

(Naw really?)

"Haha I know. We should probably get out of here. I don't think the police are going to like a dead prostitute with two holes in the roof" I said, slightly chuckling.

Enden nodded before taking Yuka's hands and ran out of the room.

(I should probably get going soon.)

Then suddenly I heard a plummeting noise, directly above me.

(What the hell? Is it a bomb? Bombs don't exist in Gensokyo, if I am even in it.)

"WRY~!"

(Wait, that sounds familiar. Oh shit!)

Quickly, I dodged backwards 10 paces as I saw a yellow steamroller break through the roof and on top of Tenshi.

On top of the steamroller was an enraged Patchouli screaming to the air while looking like she was charging up Dragon Ball Z style, only she was looking awkward especially with the bulging eyes.

(Eh? isn't Sakuya supposed to be....)

"ZA WARUDO!" cried out Patchy, pointing at me.

(Patchy. You are not Dio Brando.)

But I was proven wrong, as she literally threw a very big steamroller at me, sending me through the building as the steamroller propelling me. I felt a big weight but surprisingly no pain.

(Hmph. Patchy must be working out. How did she get those two steamrollers in the first place?!))

I lay flat on the steamrolling part of the steamroller as I looked like some pose you would only see in cartoons.

As I flied through the buildings with surprisingly still no pain, the steamroller picked up some people as well.

It picked up a Reimu who had an ice sword, a black girl cosplaying as Marisa, a black fox, a blue-haired girl with cat ears, and many others.

I felt compressed as they were people on top of me on one side and a steamroller in the other.

(This is very uncomfortable. I don't know how much irony is in this dream.)

We were up in the air as the Steamroller flew, then it finally crashed, however I was still squeezed in between the people and the steamroller. I did not like the enormous weight on my stomach.

It basically crushed my whole body except for the head, which stuck out.

"Well FU-!"

I once again had a rude awakening as I suddenly opened my eyes, and darkness met my eyes as the windows brought in a few rays, but it wasn't enough.

(Did I just wake up very early in the morning?)

(That was one of the weirdest dreams I ever had.)

(Why do I still feel like something is crushing my entire body?)

I raised my head and looked forward.

(What the!? Sakuya?)

Sakuya was laying on her side and my body at the same time, separated by a blanket, sleeping.

She was still wearing her winter clothes with the scarf off as her head was laying really close to my neck.

I noticed I wasn't wearing my shirt as I only wore pants, with several bandages I felt on my body.

(Wait. What happened back there? What happened to the glutton and the half-ghost?)

I remembered fighting against Yuyuko when I fainted just as she disappeared, and my name being yelled out.

(Sakuya. Did she take me back and do all this? I need to wake her up and find out.)

I looked at her and noticed that there were tears in her eyes.

I gently nudged Sakuya as I took out my hands from under the scarlet blanket on her back.

"Hey. Sakuya. Wake..."

"No!"

I took off my hands quickly, alarmed at Sakuya by her shout. I saw tears from her still closed eyes as they dripped down on the blanket.

(What? Is she awake or not? I can't tell, she looks like she's having a nightmare though.)

"No Wait, Nrgh~. Ken, don't leave me. Please. Don't...die. My name is Sakuya. You have killed Ken. Prepare to Die" murmered Sakuya, making slight body movements.

My eyes opened wide as I just heard Sakuya crying and.....apparently stealing my line.

(Sakuya, now that I think about it, how much does she really care for me? Ever since that time we sat under the stars and walked hand in hand through the dark hallways, then that hug, telling me I was warm....Does this mean...)

My mind brought me memories of Sakuya holding hands with me while we entwined fingers, making us really close. She asked me before if I wanted to watch the stars, then Sakuya telling me that I was so warm.

(How could I have been so dense to not notice?)

(I thought all she cared about was Remilia, but if what I think it is is true? Then, how should I respond to this?)

(Either way right now I should wake her up, she's crying from it. And I need to wake her up....to talk to her)

Quickly I placed my hands on Sakuya's head and back and shook her violently.

At the same time, a knife pinned my hair down to the pillow as Sakuya quickly raised her knife in her right hand and began to stab it towards me while on her knees.

"Die! I won't let you touch his body!" said Sakuya, her eyes still closed.

(Is she still in her dream?)

Quickly, I brought my hand up to her forearm to stop it from descending, while my hair was stuck to the pillow, binding me. Sakuya was resisting by a-lot.

Her eyes were still closed as she tried hard to push down the knife towards me.

(Does she think I'm Yuyuko?! She needs to stop! She doesn't know what she is doing!)

"Sakuya! Snap out of it!" I yelled, trying to wake her up.

Suddenly, her hand stopped resisting as she opened her eyes and looked at me, then her right hand gripped tightly with the knife.

She began crying more and more, looking despondent when she caught sight of me, before glancing at her knife. Sakuya suddenly disappeared before my eyes, no longer any weight on my body.

(What's going on!? I gotta find her!)

With sudden vigor, I jumped out of bed and looked around in my room first. Although I could barely see anything because it was really dark even with the rays from the sun not helping.

I went out into the hallway and looked around, where I couldn't see at all.

(Wait, her room is straight across from mine, she's probably in there.)

I looked straight in front of me and immediately charged in that direction.

I ran into a bust and I heard a breaking sound, while my foot touched something sharp and prickly.

(Whoops, Remilia is not going to be happy. I need to find my room first. Then it should be easy, did i leave the door open?)

I looked around until I saw little faint outlines of the sun reaching through the window in a room.

(That's my room, so then that would mean...)

I flipped around and looked at front of me, I reached out my hand and felt around until my hand encountered a doorknob.

I grinned, then I twisted it. However it wouldn't twist itself, so I barged in with a charge, and fell in.

(She's got to be in here, she's the one that locked it!)

I saw nothing as it was pitch-black, while I recovered from the floor and immediately stood up.

I heard muffled crying as it came from my left.

I felt around the wall walking around until I felt little indents.

(That probably means its a door, but where are the knobs?)

Moving my hand to the left, I felt a little crack in the wall that my fingers could fit through.

(So is it a sliding door?)

I slid it to my right as it confirmed my question and I went inside, noticing a bit of light from the left of me.

I saw a scarlet candle that illuminated the surroundings of what appeared to be a closet. I saw many maid dresses in this tiny room.

Then I saw Sakuya, sitting down in a fetal position with her arms covering her legs, her head down.

She quickly got up and threateningly put a knife on my neck as she looked up to me, saddened with tears falling on her cheeks.

(I'm really confused on what's going on here.)

"Please vacate from this mansion....please" begged Sakuya.

(That's confusing, she's contradicting herself.)

I put my hand on her hand and nudged it away, although she returned it to my neck.

"I thought you said you don't want me to leave you" I said, remembering what Sakuya said earlier.

Sakuya seemed to have relaxed a little bit but still put it up to my neck.

"Y-You don't understand, just go" said Sakuya

She began to just look at my chest as she cried more.

"Listen. I don't plan on dying anytime soon. And I don't plan on leaving you either...why would I do that to you?" I asked.

"Because I...I..I...Mistress"

(Let's see if people chasing people actually works, will this prove if she truly cares for me?)

"However, I will oblige and leave. Good-bye" I said.

I walked out of the closet and Sakuya's room into the hallway, where I walked along its path.

I heard a little thud from behind me, before hearing several more thuds.

(Ken, keep going, I gotta make it believable.)

I continued to walk as I heard many muffled footsteps in quick succession.

I grew anxious, and sighed.

I stopped and turned around, now seeing Sakuya running towards me, her tears falling out on the way.

She tackled me to the ground by surprise.

She hugged my back with her arms, crying her heart out on my chest while I saw tears down her arms.

I hugged her back and held her tightly, caressing her hair. I felt her arms relax as I felt my shirt getting wet.

I brushed her hair from her roots to the back of her neck repeatably to calm her down, as Sakuya quickly breathed in and out.

(What did she mean when she said mistress?)

(Is it possible that she can't find out how to fix this, for her undying loyalty towards her Mistress or a likeness towards me? It's only a theory....but..)

(Do I love her? Should I ease her heart? But would I also make her neglect her Mistress?)

I pondered that while Sakuya wept for many minutes on my chest, then she stopped and looked at me, raising her head. Although she still hesitated as she averted her eyes from time to time, avoiding my eyes.

I wiped off her remaining tears with my hand on her face as she blushed, warmth came to my cheeks.

(All this time she cared for me, even taking me back when I was injured and bandaging me up, sleeping at my side. And I didn't know that she loved me. That happened with me and Marisa as well but, she didn't just abandon me like last time.)

(I think I make my choice, I hope it works out.)

"Ken, I..." breathed Sakuya, her lips quivering.

I looked at her seriously as she gave me her attention.

"Sakuya. I know that you......and that I accept" I said, hesitating my words.

Sakuya immediately glared at me angrily, and rolled off me. Sakuya sat up and made her back face me.

"W-What are you saying all of a sudden? Why would I be....it's just..I felt a throb deep in my heart, that's all" said Sakuya, hesitating her words.

(That would be a lie, but then again, she never did open up to anyone before, and not even to her mistress I bet.)

Sakuya continuing to look away while I was serious, she brought her hands together and put them on her lap.

"I'm not lying! When you said that with......such a serious face..." said Sakuya.

(You're really bad at lying, but, I don't care anymore.)

"It just throbbed, OK! Dummy! It's your responsibility" yelled Sakuya, crossing her arms.

Sakuya looked up to the ceiling, possibly frowning even if she doesn't mean it.

(Why is she so tsundere all of a sudden?)

[A/N: Tsundere is a person with a conceited, irritable, and/or violent personality that suddenly becomes modest and loving when triggered by some sort of cause (such as being alone with someone). It can also describe a contradictory personality which is good-willed on the inside, but with a harsh and overly-critical attitude on the outside.]

Sakuya turned around to face me and started twisting her braid with both hands, blushing deeply.

"Will you..."

"...You'll take responsibility for me, right?"

I smiled, elating Sakuya, who looked down to my eyes, not averting her own, while her lips quivered.

Here I was laying down with Sakuya who was sitting, we blushed at each other awkwardly, while we were very close.

Her fingers were now growing closer to mine that was on my chest, Sakuya looked away while doing this.

I stopped them with both of my hands and entwined my fingers with hers, making her gasp and blush even more.

She looked at my eyes once more, and never left.


	39. Perfect Blossom Chapter 11

**Yukari's POV**  
I had my attention centered on the gap I made while I was sitting up in my futon, looking at Ken and Sakuya holding hands.

Sakuya was blushing really hard, while Ken smiled.

(Hmm~, Ken really does get around. How does he get girls just like that?)

(Sakuya's reaction wasn't surprising. She is torn from happily serving her Mistress or being with Ken.)

(Could this possibly teach that brat humility? There are innumerable amounts of art dedicated to her, and it wouldn't hurt to give her a lesson.)

(Oh, it appears they finally got up.)

(Are they in a hallway or something.

Both Sakuya and Ken stood up, while Ken was holding a candle and holding Sakuya's hand, with their fingers entwined.)

(Where did that candle come from? Did that dog of a devil stop time to get it?)

They stood up and walked back to Sakuya's room. When they got there, the room is lit up from the faint illumination.

There was a mirror on the wall besides the door, there was a bed just in front of them as Sakuya placed the candle on the end table next to the bed, which had a blanket with red and blue stripes and scarlet pillows.

And then they both laid on the bed, while still holding hands, relaxing on the bed. There is a window on Sakuya's right, but it was closed.

(Are they doing what I think they are doing?)

(Ah, they are both too young.)

"So, do you...want to know what happened? When you fainted?" asked Sakuya.

(This should be interesting. I did watch the battle between Ken and Yuyuko. Yuyuko went much more harder than I expected. She's usually more friendlier to humans.)

(Good job Yuyuko. I should use more food next time as a promised incentive.)

"Sure" replied Ken to Sakuya.

"It started like this. When you fainted, I immediately dropped my knives and looked at you, you had so much blood coming out. I was surprised you didn't even die yet from all those cuts you received. I knew I shouldn't have told you to go up there on your own. I'm sorry" started Sakuya, breathing.

"It's okay"

(Wow, what a bad girlfriend. Why would you send the one you love to his doom?)

"Well, I picked you up and braced you against a tree nearby, while the tree protected us against the attacks"

"I left Reimu behind to finish the job, she didn't care, she looked like she was used to it since she didn't respond and kept grazing all the bullets while throwing those paper things at the big tree"

"I used my scarf to cover most of your cuts while I carried you to the Mansion, out of that realm, it wasn't snowing anymore but it was still cold and windy. There was a lot of snow on the ground"

"Your scent of blood made it really hard for me to keep off this annoying blond youkai who had a red ribbon in her hair"

"She was finishing off whatever she had on a stick, then she threw it away and threw all she had against me."

"I warned her that she would face consequences if she didn't go away, but she ignored me and attacked."

"I could have fended her off easily. But only if you weren't on my back, and if I risked that, she would have gone straight to your body and eat it."

"So I took many hits from the danmaku she unleashed at me, but then she ran off eventually after I used my Soul Scripture Spell card. She had enough cuts on her body for her to die, but she decided to run away instead, getting into this blob of darkness. She was drooling by the mouth, it looked like she really wanted to eat you. Ken, if you ever met her again, what would you do? She seemed like she knew you when she exclaimed your name."

"Uhh~, I think, she would only keep this up if I kept attacking her relentlessly. I don't want to be a youkai exterminator like Reimu, so I think I will be nice to her. I may have to treat her like a dog though at first" said Ken.

(Hmm~, Ken having a pet youkai, spraying at her with water for it to behave. That sounds really far-fetched.)

"Okay, by then I was really tired. I didn't want to go through any more battles so I hurried past the Misty Lake to the mansion. Meiling wasn't at her post, it wasn't surprising since she didn't really have any clothes to guard the gate during winter, she only had to guard from noon to evening" continued Sakuya

"I quickly went inside but I was immediately met by my Mistress, who seemed ravenous, as she quickly went over to you and licked your blood and kept doing it contently."

Ken twitched when Sakuya mentioned Remilia licking his wounds.

"I asked her why she was doing it. She said it was the most tastiest blood she ever tasted, I almost had a nosebleed from the fact she was enjoying herself like a child."

"I quickly told her that you were about to die and that I needed to get you fixed up, she ignored me while happily taking in your blood. Very rarely does Remilia randomly go up to people and drink their blood unless she was in a dire situation, you could say that her...charisma was at a good level."

(Would Ken call this a "Charisma Break?" It seems like it, the devil did such humble things.)

I giggled lightly while listening to Sakuya's side of the story.

"By the time I took you upstairs, took off your shirt and pants, and bandaged you up. My mistress looked at me with a glare as I placed you in your bed" continued Sakuya.

"She said that she had a horrible time making food by herself. I told her that she would've gotten Patchy and Meiling to help her, but she crossed her arms and looked at a different direction moping like a child."

(So much for 500 years.)

"I sighed and asked her if there was anything she needed, she immediately requested for me to bring her tea at once in the dining hall along with exclaiming that..that..she needed me now more than ever."

(Oh goodness, the SDM's owner can't even take care of herself. I am definitely teaching her a lesson someday.)

I looked at Ken and saw that he was sleeping, without even snoring.

(Ken, if she catches you like that, I don't think she's going to like it. Then again, how does she not notice him?)

(Stop looking at the ceiling and you look at him!)

"After I brought tea to my mistress, I went back to my normal routine of cleaning all the useless maids didn't manage to clean. I don't even know why I bothered to make the mansion so big, it makes it harder for me to clean."

(What's the point of the maids then?)

"I noticed I haven't seen Meiling all day while I was cleaning, so, I went up to her room and found out she was just still sleeping on her bed, with an unusually cute smile on her face. I gotten really angry that she couldn't help the mistress and stabbed her in the head without even her noticing, she just kept sleeping. I gave up and cleaned her room."

"Then after I cleaned all the rooms and hallways, along with dusting the countless busts of my mistress. It was night as I put up my cleaning tools to check on you."

"I remembered my mistress saying that she needed me more than ever. I wanted to make my mistress happy. She's the reason I have food on my plate and a roof under my head especially after that one..time. I worried that if I cared for you too much, she would try to change my fate, possibly to the point where I would treat you coldly."

(Oh, she can't do that now can she? You two better thank me later for my intervention.)

"I didn't want that. I wanted to keep loving you, even if it meant for you to vacate your presence in this Mansion. I was very tired up at this point and I just wanted to go to bed even if I didn't have my pajamas on. When I got up to your room to tell you what I was thinking about, you just looked so peaceful."

(You can't be serious. You have got to be this dim-witted to not notice him sleeping right now. Stop rambling on you damn maid! I wish I could just tell her now that Remilia can't change Ken's and your fate ever since I blocked that boundary of a possibility.)

"Did you know you talked in your sleep? You mentioned something about assisting an Enden or something."

"I sat at your side, when I was about to wake you up. I became too exhausted to go on awake, and I began to sleep on you. I had a bad dream."

"I saw...me...clawing and eating away at your mutilated body, but I know it wasn't me, even if she resembled me a lot up to the clothes and face."

"Your muscles and bones were showing as my...other me..feed on your arm."

(Grotesque.)

"I walked around to the other side and she looked up, her mouth bloody with your bone stuck in her teeth., she had golden highlights in her hair not to mention gold irises and red retinas in her eyes."

"I saw you look at me slowly and reached out your hand to me, with several cuts on your arm. Then your eyes rolled up and and were closed as you dropped her hand. You said, 'Sakuya..' before you died.

"The Sakuya that was not me had...very sharp fingernails as she brandished them, her hands already bloody. She sported a very uncomfortable smile like she was anticipating my death. She lunged at me with her nails, while screaming a...what was it...a 'wry~!' I think. I tried to warn her off before, but she wouldn't listen."

"I threw at her with many knives while backing up, but she didn't let up. She just kept shrugging them off. Then I got her once in the head."

"She fell back on the ground as I leaped on her stomach, I dragged down the knife but she had her hand in the way on my forearm, when I awoke."

(You are too paranoid, you don't know when to relax do you?)

"I saw that I was about to kill you if you didn't wake me up. It was...I...thought if..you hadn't woken up...you would've been gone from my life..forever...I wouldn't have anyone to.....trust. I ran away...because I was so saddened that I could have killed you easily. I wanted to be alone, me being a potential danger to your life."

(Don't you guys have separate rooms? It's not like you sleepwalk to Ken's bed and stab him while you're asleep, like I do sometimes with Ran.)

Sakuya began to tear up, while her voice was crackling.

"You chased me, you knew about me. I didn't know what to do. I didn't want us to happen yet after what I just done. You did what I asked and walked away. I was glad at first that you would do as I wanted, but then....what I wanted for so long. I ended up chasing after you."

"I.....Ken?"

(Uh oh, she noticed~.)

Immediately Sakuya gotten irritated, she just poured all her thoughts out emotionally and it was all for nothing.

She took out a knife from her blouse and quickly began to stab Ken in the head when she stopped.

"Are you stupid? She's....err...He's not a youkai!" I yelled, then covering my mouth at the next moment.

Sakuya quickly looked around, alert and angry, after staring at Ken for another second.

"Who was that?!"

(Uh oh, I shouldn't have said that.)

I closed the gap before Sakuya noticed it.

(I don't think it would be the end of her if she knew that I knew her thoughts as well.)

(Hmm~, time to check on Yuyuko. I think she needs some help now.)

I teared open a gap in space as I looked at Yuyuko, laying on her back, unscathed next to the Saigyou Ayakashi. Although...

(She's doesn't look like it, but she's suffered enough damage, but that doesn't matter, she needs to carry out the second part of the plan, even If I improvised it.)

(I did notice that witch crashed into her mansion, she's probably still knocked out as of this moment. She's got the perfect job for being a courier for me.)

(Time to wake her up.)

I went around in my room scrounging for many things, until I found what humans in the outside world called a "megaphone."

I took in a deep breath before preparing my lungs for the loudest yell I will attempt.

"YUYUKO! GET UP! IT'S TIME TO CARRY OUT THE SECOND PART OF THE PLAN!" I yelled, my throat hurting in the process.

(Ow, That hurts. I haven't raised my voice in a while.)

I heard some groaning before Yuyuko sat up, with eyes half-open and her hair a mess, responding to my loud and distorted voice.

"I'm sorry Yukari, but I'm afraid I can't" said Yuyuko.

(do you need a motivator?)

"I'll be serving food at my house"

"What do you need, my best friend Yukari?"

Immediately she stood up, drooling by the mouth with eyes wide open along with a smile on her face.

(Hehe, It always works. And getting food here isn't really that much of a problem either. I hope that one Little Caesars place doesn't mind a severe lack of Pizzas.)

"Fufufu~, okay. Do you know the witch that crashed into your home yesterday?" I said.

"I believe I remember that. Why?" asked Yuyuko.

"You don't remember part 2 do you?"

Yuyuko shook her head while retaining her whimsical smile.

"Okay. I will close the gaps of the cuts on your Youmu as well. But I need you to tell the witch that she needs to come see Ken and deliver a message, like it was from you. Tell her this, 'I need you to tell Yukari to repair the border between this world and Gensokyo, if you don't go, well both of us are going to have to use force. If you forget the message, expect all your things to be gone and burned.'"

(What a fool-proof plan.)

"When you are done, there will be a great feast at my house held in your honor. Oh yes, if you forget the message as well, no feast for a thousand years!"

Yuyuko immediately saddened then grinned with her eyes very wide, now she seems to be foaming at the mouth.

"Hah....Hah....Okay Yukari! I hope the food there will be good!" said Yuyuko vehemently.

Then she floated out of there quickly to tell Marisa, leaving a trail of drool along the way.

(Hopefully, everything comes to plan this time, even if my very weird and whimsical friend is doing it. Now for Youmu.)

I opened the gap to Youmu as I closed the one to Yuyuko, I noticed her still laying in a pool of blood.

With a snap of my fingers, I created a vacuum in Youmu's body sucking in the pool of blood, then I closed the vacuums while closing the gaps of the cuts on the body, making her look unscathed, although she was dirtied by blood.

(There, all better now, Yuyuko, you can now properly threaten Marisa.)

"Mistress Yukari! Chen's not taking a shower again"

I groaned as I closed the gap to Youmu while opening two gaps, not in my sight. Immediately I heard a splash of water followed by a scream.

"Meow! No fair!"

**Marisa's POV:**

(Ow~, that hurt really badly.)

When I opened my eyes, I saw a sword at my neck, by the same person whom I battled, but she was unscathed with a mysterious person by her side.

Youmu had a streak of blood on her clothes..while the mysterious person was smiling whimsically.

I was sitting on a pile of rubble, as I felt really uncomfortable with a big scar on my shoulder.

"Hey, I just want to go home. Who are you?"

"I am Yuyuko. and you have an errand to do if you want to escape out of here alive" said Yuyuko.

(I have a feeling she isn't as nice as she looks like.)

"And if I don't follow through?" I said, grinning.

Yuyuko just kept on smiling as an ominous mood filled the air.

"Well, expect all your things to be gone and burned away."

(What?! No! Not all those things I borrowed!)

"Ah! Okay! Okay! What do I have to do?!" I panicked, not wanting to take any risk.

"Deliver this message to Ken."

She handed me a letter inside an envelope while Youmu diligently kept up the sword against my chin.

"Is that it?" I asked.

Yuyuko nodded as Youmu quickly sheathed her sword, while I sat charged with this simple task.

(Hmm~, I'm surprised I haven't been killed yet, they heal fast.)

(Ah, I will need a special Ghost-busting spell for this. Maybe it's time to make more trips to the library.)

"Fine. I'll give it to Ken when I get to the SDM" I agreed.

I flew up into a hole I made earlier when I fell in, backtracking to find my way back.

(What do those two have to do with Ken in any way?)

While I was flying out in this world, I tried to open the envelope, but it wouldn't open or tear, making me frustrated.

(Grr~, what's the point of a message if you can't even open it?)

My curiosity was killing me, so I hurried to the SDM to see if Ken can open it.

-TimeSkip-

I ended up at the SDM as I saw Ken out in the garden, looking at the flowers, whilst floating in the air.

It was day as the sun struck through to the snow, melting it and making the flowers finally come out.

(Grr~, I wouldn't have been this late if that stupid ice fairy didn't annoy me.)

(Time to call out to him.)

"Ken~!" I sung loudly.

I held out the envelope I carried in my blouse and I waved it.

"Marisa?" said Ken, straining his eyes towards me.

I landed on the ground next to Ken as I gave the envelope to him.

"What's this?"

"I was told by those weird people at the ghost world to give it to them."

Ken immediately opens it up and gets a piece of paper with words on them.

(What?! You ripped it open that easily, hmph!")

After a few seconds, Ken went ahead into the mansion, floating over the flowerbeds, possibly no longer interested in the flowers, and totally just outright ignoring me.

"Sakuya! Do you know where Mayohiga is?" asked Ken loudly.

(Now that I done my deal. I now know that what I borrowed before won't get damaged, but now what do I do?)

I felt like something was missing when I arrived at the SDM.

(What is it that I'm forgetting?)

(Oh yeah.)

I immediately entered the mansion, straight to the library double doors as I blasted it open.

(Oh yeah, how did I forget in the first place?)

**Yukari's POV**

(Well, Well, Well, that klutz managed to do it, even while fending an idiot.)

I had a gap open that was just over Marisa, who is battling Patchouli Knowledge, again. While her servant, Koakuma, was leaning against a bookcase that fallen.

(Well poor devil, when will Marisa ever learn?)

"Mistress! Chen won't eat the spicy cucumber soup you made!" yelled Ran.

"Coming!" I replied, twitching at the fact Chen wouldn't eat the soup I made for her.

(Honestly Chen, Can't you learn to appreciate things in life?)

(Now I don't know if I should get her a chainsaw or not, even if she would be productive by chopping off trees in a nearby forest for firewood.)

I closed the gap and sighed before getting up.

(Can't Ran seriously handle her shikigami?)

[A/N:Shikigami means servant]


	40. Perfect Blossom Chapter 12

**Ken's POV**

"Dee Dee...err.....Marisa! Get out of my Laborator-.....Library!" I yelled.

(Honestly how did I mix those up?)

(I haven't even seen that cartoon in a while.)

I dropped the letter and ran downstairs to see two large wooden doors broken off their hinges in the middle of the lobby.

(Where does Remilia get all the money to pay for all this destruction Marisa leaves?)

(It makes sense if she gets Sakuya to pickpocket people in the human village.)

(Heh, now that I think about it, Sakuya is like the perfect thief, not Marisa.)

(Marisa doesn't even have one bit of subtlety I bet.)

I went through the door-less entrance to see Marisa piling in books into her bag which is already big.

(She always seem to be prepared when she comes here.)

"Stop~!" I shouted, putting my hand up.

"Ken. Don't make me have to use this" threatened Marisa.

Marisa pulled out her Hakkero from her hat and pointed it at me with her right hand while her left hand was on her right elbow.

(I feel like Marisa is like that one blue bomber.)

(Hmm~, so you're going to threaten me with that. Watch this!)

"Oh yeah, Don't make me have to do this!" I yelled, grinning a little bit.

I flew up to her directly, her Hakkero grew white, while Marisa grinned.

(So she was serious. I thought she was bluffing, gotta get there faster~!)

"Love Sign! Master Spark!" declared Marisa.

When I got close, I immediately snatched away the bag right before Marisa sparked at me, making it successful.

(Well, I still felt the shock-wave and the heatwave from that reactor. It must be really hot holding that thing while it is sparking.)

I ran away, clutching the bag while Marisa fired in the other direction.

(God, this is heavy as hell. How does Marisa handle using this?)

"Hey! Give that back!" shouted Marisa.

I heard the familiar whirring sound from the spark stopped.

I looked behind me and saw Marisa really mad while chasing me in the air.

"I said I was going to give them back when I died!" shouted Marisa. "Give it back~!"

(That's too long! I'll probably be dead by then too!)

(Wait. That's different in Gensokyo. Can't you be reborn as a youkai?)

(Uh oh, better call for help. Marisa looks angry right now and I don't want to die yet. Even if she wouldn't dare kill me.)

"PATCHOULI! MEILING! SAKUYA! REMILIA! FLANDRE! HELP! I TOOK HER BAG OF BOOKS SHE STOLE AND SHE WANTS TO KILL ME!" I yelled at the top of my lungs, hearing my voice resonate in the library with loud echos.

"Please don't yell in the-...now I see why you called"

Patchy flew up in the air to meet me while she held out her hand.

"Please hand me the books so I could return them, and deal with our intruder. I am not done yet with her, she only battled experimental dolls of me and Koakuma" said Patchy, grinning. "I didn't know they died out so easily. They could make potential guards especially if they don't think for themselves."

(That reminds me of a familiar game I had before.)

"Hey! Ken! Whose side are you on!?" yelled Marisa, balling her left hand into a fist.

"Not on yours! I think It's time I repaid the SDM for training here" I said, feeling patriotic.

I looked at Patchy who still had her hand outstretched.

(I hope she can catch.)

I threw the bag of books at Patchy with much difficulty but managed to toss it to her.

Her eyes were wide open, when she caught it with both arms, she fell along with it to the ground, with a loud thud.

(That was a mistake. She needs to get outside more regardless of her anemic asthma condition.)

"Sorry!" I shouted, shaking my head at Patchy's weak constitution.

"Sorry? You're the one who's stealing from me! You should say sorry to me!" yelled Marisa.

Marisa crossed her arms and pouted in the other direction.

(Look who's talking!)

"You're saying that rightfully stealing from a thief who is pheal...lugh...stealing from a place I live at stealing? I'm just making sure you don't steal at all! So stop stealing so I don't have to steal it back~!" I ranted.

(Seriously, I'm like Robin Hood.)

(Tongue twisters, I hate them.)

"What?!" said Marisa, her face twisted with confusion.

(Do I really have to make it simple?)

"Mukyu! Simplify Ken! She doesn't understand your string of overused words!" loudly whispered Patchy, her regular voice cords encumbered by the bag of books.

(Poor Patchy! I'm doing the best I can!)

"That's why I'm borrowing them from you! So I can LEARN! So stop rightfully taking my borrowed goods Ken!" said Marisa, making my eye twitch.

"Grr~, What I meant is....Me....and the rest of this mansion, well probably not Patchy, will stop you!" I said, vehemently declaring my stand.

"Please Ken! I have experience! You on the other hand, don't really have much!"

Suddenly, a figure ran next to Patchy and quickly removed the bag from Patchy's lap, she is wearing a black dress with white sleeves. She has a small pair of black, bat-like wings on the sides of her head along with another pair on her back and long red hair.

Patchy breathed quickly as she seems to have gotten her lungs back.

"Lady Patchouli! Are you okay!? Do you need help?" frantically asked Koakuma.

"Okay? That witch is the one who thinks borrowing is stealing. She NEEDS help!" said Patchy, pointing at Marisa accusingly.

Marisa stood while looking up, being prideful.

"I'm simply borrowing for the pursuit of education!" stated Marisa, making me reel in disgust.

(Education my ass!)

"Why you...."

"ENOUGH! Mukyu! Koakuma, put back the books that are in the bag. We'll handle Marisa!" ordered Patchy, declaring the battle.

I grinned as Patchy went up to the same elevation I was on while Koakuma proceeded to put back the books.

"You do realize you two can't beat me!"

(Shows what you know. I feel extremely cocky today!)

"Whatever. Bring it on!" I yelled, gesturing her with my finger.

Patchy readied her book in front of her with pages open while her hand rested on her elbow while Marisa got her broom out, putting back the Hakkero on her head.

(Wait a second, I don't have a weapon! I should of gotten that sword when I had the chance. And Marisa successfully got out the books and made Patchy lose to her.)

(We need more help!)

(And I just know how to do it, especially since she's closer and not in another location.)

I cupped my hands around my mouth while Marisa got confused.

"Ken, What are you-"

"SAKUYA-SAN, SAKUYA-SAN, CLEANING STOP! ROOM! CLEANING! STOP!" I yelled, making me narrow my eyes while shouting.

"Ken! I'm here! What's the proble-...Oof!"

Meiling came running into the mansion, then stopped and fell to the ground with a knife on her head, right behind her was Sakuya.

(She must not really like Meiling.)

"Ken! What's-......intruder" said Sakuya.

"Oh, so the maid is here too! Wanna play with me too?" asked Marisa.

(I don't like the way Marisa uses the word play.)

"Good, You're here! Sakuya! Get Remilia and.....oh she's here too. Thanks for stopping time to save time" I said, rolling my eyes.

Sakuya had her hands on Remilia's shoulder while she was scratching her eyes with her hands, yawning.

She had red eyes, short messy light-blue hair, and a pair of black bat-like wings on back. She is wearing a light red mob cap and dress, with bright red trimming. She's noticeably short around the other residents.

"Sakuya. What's going on? Why have you awakened me from my slumber?" asked Remilia, nonchalant.

"There's an intruder my lady Remilia" replied Sakuya.

"Oh yes I see. Ken, behind you.

Nonchalantly, Remilia says those words when I noticed an arm around my head with an octagonal shape on my back.

I immediately deduced it was Marisa, seeing as Sakuya looked surprised and the braid on my shoulder.

Even Remilia raised her eyebrows, even if her eyes are half-closed.

"Let me guess. You do this all the time and this is how you get out with the books" I deduced, nonchalantly saying it.

"You betcha, ze~!" said Marisa with glee.

(You had to sound cheerful when you say that.)

(However, Time stop still has the last word.....LAUGH!)

"Sakuya! Use Time Stop to get me out of this head....thanks" I said, noticing me unbound by Marisa before I finished.

(For being dimwitted sometimes, Sakuya actually has common sense.)

I felt the absense of the arm when I saw in front of me, Marisa looking like she was still holding me but instead its air and Marisa soon realized it.

"Eh? What? That's not fair" whined Marisa.

"Haha! That serves you!" I gloated.

"Love Sign! Master Spark!"

(Oh you got to be kidding me, her Hakkero is still pointed towards me.)

The Hakkero was glowing, then a big white beam shot out., with a sigil under Marisa with glowing circle insignias surrounding the beam.

"Ken!"

Right before the spark hit me, Meiling's body was thrown in front of me like a javelin as it caught the spark and blocked it.

(Reminds me of that one TiVo moment in a movie about a movie.)

Unfortunately the force of the spark caused the body to hit me to the ground. I landed on my ass and slid across the library, until I was stopped by a bookcase.

"That didn't help at all!" I yelled.

"Sorry!"

I saw the knife still stuck on Meiling's head as an idea went across my brain.

(I hope Meiling and the pope doesn't mind, even when she is unconscious, and she's not a human, and the fact I'm not christian.)

I took out the knife out of Meiling's head and grasped it in my right hand while I held Meiling with my left arm inside her shirt whilst grasping the neck of her dress with my left hand.

I braced myself as I had a Meiling on one arm and a knife on the other, kinda like a roman legionary with his gladius and his scutum.

[A/N: Gladius is like a short sword while a scutum is a very big shield.]

(Surprisingly, Meiling isn't that heavy for a shield.)

I felt the knife's hilt to be rough, but the tempered silver edge of the blade seems to have outshine that.

(Oh gee, I wonder why it's so shiny and silver, ironic.)

Everyone looked at me like I was an idiot, except for Sakuya, who just seemed to smile.

"Ken? Hahaha" laughed Marisa.

"Why do you have my gate guard as your shield?" asked Remilia.

"Um....Mukyu!"

(Wow, all you could do is sneeze? It's not that bad of an idea!)

"It's better than her sleeping" commented Sakuya.

"By the way, why aren't you girls helping me?" I asked, trying to break the awkwardness.

"Oh that's right"

(And you just remembered, I thought librarians are supposed to be smart.)

I shook my head as Patchy fired many large fireballs at Marisa, while she simply moved forward and backward in space, constantly looking at Patchy.

I creep up forward as I saw Marisa's clothes singed on the edges, then Marisa responded to Patchy with three green-colored projectiles as they gained velocity towards Patchy.

(The maid and the devil still aren't helping.)

Quickly, Patchy made a large blue bubble that blocks the three green projectiles, while muttering an incantation.

(You could have just grazed it, well, at least she saved herself, Time to move in!)

I quickly rushed towards Marisa when she saw me and turned towards me as I lunged my knife towards her chest.

She blocked it easily as she caught hold of my hand after leaning to her right.

I attempted a haymaker with Meiling, that failed too as Marisa had her hand on her head, resisting my attempts to move it, although struggling due to her arms shaking, she grinned.

(Er...What do I do?! Stop smiling at me like that!)

"Come on Ken. I'm stronger than you. Admit it!" said Marisa, making a very evil smile.

(No.)

"Uh...Uh."

*Ptooie

I spat out some saliva at Marisa as she pushed me back and used her blouse to wipe her face.

"EW~! Ken~! It got in my eye!" whined Marisa. "It burns~!"

(Wow, I didn't expect that to work. I should try that on Reimu.)

(....or not.)

Immediately, I saw some knives heading towards me and Marisa, so quickly I used Meiling to shield me from the many knives as I felt them penetrating Meiling, while Marisa dodged them with ease. One knife managed to strike her leg below her knee, her depth of perception not good thanks to my spit.

"Ow~! That's not fair!"

(Sorry Meiling!)

"Midnight Sign! Demon King Cradle!"

(Huh?)

All of a sudden, I saw Remilia headbutting Marisa in the gut covered by red energy going in spirals around her. Marisa looked like she got winded from the attack.

(Wow, she's so brave for a bratty child.)

Soon, Remilia flipped in the air while Marisa hit the ceiling on her back then recovered right before she hit the floor.

Quickly, she put her hand up in the air with the fingers outstretched.

"Star Sign! Meteoric Shower!" declared Marisa.

(You know, it's not really fair that she can declare all those attacks without having to take out a card.)

She immediately fires out glowing stars up in the air with one hand, even as they prorate immediately, some of them hit Remilia who was still in the air, as she descended like an airplane hit with flak.

"Wah~! Sakuya!"

"You see? It's things like that which winds up getting Remi into trouble!" ranted Patchy, facepalming.

(It's about damn time I heard a nickname for Remilia, damn opportunist.)

Suddenly, Sakuya comes out of nowhere, and catches Remilia bridal style, while apparently nose-bleeding at the same time.

"Don't worry my lady, I'm here" said Sakuya.

Remilia looked really confused at Sakuya who was still bleeding from her nose with a weird smile.

(She must really like her Mistress to go through such breaks of Charisma.)

Against I rushed forward towards Marisa when she saw me and did a Kamehameha pose towards me.

(Stop stealing attacks from DBZ Marisa~!)

Marisa fired off a blue narrow spark from her hands as it contacted Meiling, making me struggle to move forward, using the body to shield me from the beam.

"I really do not approve of this" commented Patchy, looking with disdain towards Meiling.

"Then DO SOMETHING!" I yelled, irritated.

Suddenly, I saw a pool of water just below Marisa, then out came a geyser as it launched Marisa up in the air, interrupting her spark.

(Wow, thanks Patchy, that would have been useful earlier!)

(Now!...again, Sorry Meiling!)

I stuck the knife back into Meiling's head as I took out my spell card from my pocket, and held up high in the air.

(Those cards are like stalkers, they follow me everywhere.)

"Seeker Sign! Ambush!" I declared.

15 globe bullets on each side drew from my back as they were at my flanks, then they rushed towards Marisa, which juggled her in the air for the first 15 globe bullets.

Marisa recovered in the air and moved her head side to side along with leaning back Matrix-style to dodge the last bullet.

Then the bullets came back as white glowing discs as they struck her on the back, propelling her forward towards the window.

She was struck out as the glass broke, sending little shards to the ground.

(This is why you don't mess with more than one SDM resident. If you have someone to tell them what to do at least.)

"This won't be the last time I will come! And I would have gotten away with the books too if it weren't for you meddling KEN!" yelled Marisa, before flying away from the mansion.

(Yeah yeah yeah, keep whining about how you couldn't steal books.)

I stopped using Meiling as a shield while I laid her on the floor, then I heard her yawning and outstretching her arms.

(Lucky for me I laid her down right before she woke up, otherwise, it's back to Captain Sobel Meiling again.)

"What happened?" asked Meiling drowsily.

"Mukyu! Sakuya got really mad at you for sleeping so she beat you up with some knives and had me torch you with a fireball, you even crashed through the window" lied Patchy, making me narrow my eyes at her.

Patchy came out of nowhere with her book at her side from the air. Koakuma was also with her, flying by her side, carrying a now empty large brown bag.

(For putting up books, that was really fast.)

"Oh. Usually I would just have a knife in my head, this explains why I looked burnt, have knives sticking in my body, and I being in the library" said Meiling.

(Good save Patchy, even if that was a very blatant lie.)

"Speaking of being in the library, aren't you supposed to be somewhere else?" said Sakuya, brandishing two knives at once.

Meiling opened her eyes and had a look of fear, then headed towards a window.

"Uuu~, I can't see! Don't punish me~!" shrieked Meiling.

"Wait no not the-"

It was too late, as Remilia failed to stop Meiling from crashing through another window to go back to the gate.

"Sorry~!"

Patchy facepalmed, shaking her head while Koakuma flapped her wings on her head barely.

"Don't worry, My Lady, I'll get the fairy maids to repair and clean this up" said Sakuya, slightly cheering up Patchy.

(Wait, useless maids that can repair stuff? They would be the rage in the outside world, despite the fact that they are useless.)

"At least no books are stolen, for now. Thank you Ken for assisting us" thanked Patchy.

"No problem, you girls just needed some guidance" I replied, remembering how they just stood there not attacking Marisa while I was the only one.

(I have prevented Marisa from getting anything from the mansion, that's a first for the mansion.)

(Am I forgetting something? Oh yeah.)

"Sakuya, do you know where Mayohiga is?" I asked.

Sakuya turned around looking at me while carrying Remilia bridal style. Remilia looked flushed as she was really embarrassed while Sakuya was still bleeding, Remilia occasionally licking up the drops of blood that fell from Sakuya's chin.

(Ew~, that's from her nose you know.)

"I think so, we may have to go to the shrine for directions, why?" asked Sakuya.

As soon as Sakuya said shrine, Remilia's eyes lit up and looked at Sakuya.

"Sakuya. I order you to tag me along when you and Ken go" quickly said Remilia.

(Wait, you girls already decided to go? That's a bit quick don't you think?)

"Of course my lady"

"We shall leave tomorrow at noon" stated Remilia.

(Since when can you decide when I can leave?)

"HEY! What's going on?!"

It was Flandre, with her wings jiggling and her a matching metal wand in her right hand, which is the mythical Lævateinn, she came out running towards us.

"Hey, where's the excitement?" asked Flandre.

Flandre began to cry as it looked like we were just standing around.

Remilia began to flap out of Sakuya's arms and landed on her feet, as a result, Sakuya bleed out a raging stream of blood from both nostrils as she tilted back led by her blood and landed on the ground with a thud on her back with her drunken smile.

(Now it's her that's fainting, not me...surprisingly, and you girls just ignore her like that?!))

Remilia simply ignored her and walked towards Flandre, who already had tear streams, she put her hand on Flandre's shoulder with a consoling face.

"Sorry, Sis. You were too late" said Remilia.

(That's not a nice way to put it at all)

Flandre didn't take it well, as she dropped on her knees and cried out tear streams.

Sakuya wasn't even doing anything as she already fainted in her pool of blood, smiling like a pedophile.

"Wah~! I never get to do anything fun! Hey you, mister, PLAY WITH ME~!"

(Oh shit)


	41. Supremacy Chapter 1

** Ken's Bizarre Adventure**

**Ken's POV:**  
[A/N: This chapter is highly suggestive.]

(Oh shit, what do I do?!)

(Do I have to seriously be in this situation?)

I was standing in the library with Flandre, Remilia, and Sakuya. Flandre was sitting on the floor crying out tear streams while looking at me sorrowfully. Remilia is now licking up the blood puddle left by Sakuya, who has fainted on the ground.

(That is a really bizarre scene.)

(She looks so vulnerable right now, she's perfect for some kind of prank right now.)

I glanced at Flandre, grinning.

(Hehehe~, I'm pretty sure Remilia will punish me if I do that to her. But not Flandre, she is her little sister.)

(At her maturity, she should be gullible enough to do as I say. I am, after all, just playing with her.)

"Hey Flandre. Don't cry. I got an idea for a game, do you want to hear it?" I offered, being secretly diabolical.

Flandre sniffed while her lips were quivering. "O-Oh, really~?! I wanna play!"

"Okay. It's simple, I want you to do this to Remilia while she's licking her blood"

I went up behind Flandre, stood her up, and put my hands in her dress.

I moved them up, and grabbed Flandre's breasts before fondling them.

(I better not go to hell for this. They're small I know that, especially since she's not wearing anything underneath.)

Flandre giggles, while twitching from contact, saying, "hehe~, that tickles!"

I narrowed my eyes at Flandre, shaking my head, while still fondling her breasts.

(Oh, just wait till you get older. Then you'll know what I did.)

I noticed my wood was growing, so I stopped.

(There was practically nothing to grab anyway.)

I looked at Remilia, who was still licking up the blood puddle on her knees.

(Disgusting. Now since Remilia has basically the same body structure as Flandre, she probably shouldn't have anything underneath either.)

"Now, that was funny right? Since it tickled you?" I asked.

Flandre nodded, while throwing away her black wand.

"Now, I want you to do the same thing I did to you to Remilia because it's funny. Do you understand?" I said.

Again Flandre nodded, but more vigorously, before creeping up on Remilia silently in a ridiculous fashion.

(You're right behind her, you don't need to do all that.)

Then quickly, Flandre stood up Remilia on her feet, interrupting her meal.

"Flanny, what's the mat-"

Flandre once again interrupted Remilia by putting her small arms in her dress, making big outlines on Remilia's clothes.

I circled around Remilia until I was in front of her, seeing Flandre moving her hands around in a circle on where Remilia's boobs should be.

(Well, she's doing it right I know that.)

Remilia was utterly rendered speechless, her irises have contracted to a very small size in her wide-open eyes, her hands were shaking in mid-air, her lips quivered, and her jaw dropped down in shock.

(That is one of the best Charisma Breaks I have ever seen in my life, especially the fact I'm seeing it personally!)

"Sister~, your balls are so small~!" sung Flandre, making it hard for me to stifle my laugh and control my wood.

(Well, you didn't have to say that, but that SO WAS FUNNY AND somewhat arousing. Should I teach her what the balls actually are?)

"F-Flanny, I h-have to go to my room. I-I'll play with you l-later" stuttered Remilia, before flying out of Flandre's grasp.

As soon as she was out, she rushed out of the library, making me laugh.

"Good job Flanny! That was funny~!" I said while laughing.

Flandre smiled, came up to me, and hugged me while burying her face into my stomach, giving me a warm fuzzy feeling. "Mister, you're the best~! You're so fun~, unlike sister!"

(Maybe that's due to the fact you been locked up in a basement by your own sister for 495 years, yet you don't feel any grudge at all towards her. What the hell?!)

"However" I said, making Flandre glance up to me. "There are some things I have to teach you."

(I really don't want to hear you substituting breasts for balls, makes me feel weird.)

"Okay~!" yelled Flandre eagerly, resonating in the library.

I turned Flandre around, kneeling down at her level. Then again, I thrust my hands into her breasts, however I did not grope them, I merely covered them with my hands.

This made Flandre giggle, making me shake my head. I said, "okay, this is called breasts, Flandre. Not balls, breasts~!"

I then squeezed Flandre's nipples with my fingers, making her twitch and squeak. "Owie~! That hurt, mister~! Stop before I break you!"

(They're hard. And don't "break" me....please?)

"Uh-huh! Yes, this is called your nipple" I taught while releasing pressure, now grasping my hands over her small breasts.

"Okay~! Thank you mister~! But, why did you do this also?!"

Flandre reached her own hands into her dress before grasping mine, and making me grope her own breasts.

(Good thing Sakuya is asleep, otherwise, I may not live today.)

"Oh! Er...um..." I stuttered, trying to come up with a legitimate reason. "Oh yeah, I do this because your breasts are pressure points. Does it feel good?"

Flandre nodded, while yawning. "It doesn't tickle as much, but it does feel...nice."

"Well, this is called massaging, a commonly known skin contact process to release stress, it also makes you feel good, especially if it's at a pressure point" I explained, while groping her breasts on my own while Flandre held my hands.

"Thank you, mis~.....ter" whispered Flandre before apparently falling limp in my hands, followed by some light snoring.

(It made you fall asleep? Wow.)

I got my hands out of her dress and held her up bridal style.

(I think I should bring her to her bed, if I know where the basement is. I should ask Patchy. She should be at the center of the library.)

I flew up in the air while carrying Flandre, looking around in the vast library.

(Those are too many books to simply read for seven residents, including me.)

I spotted Patchy who was in fact in the center of the library, I flew slowly to her.

(So basically, I groped a lolicon who in turn, groped another lolicon who was her sister, then I groped her again, but teaching her how groping someone's breasts is massaging and funny.)

(If I get in trouble for this, I think I'll say I taught her high-school anatomy.)

When I reached Patchy, who was silently reading to herself with a yaoi manga with her legs on top of a desk.

(Girls who want their boys love thing, disgust me.)

"Hey Patchy~, Flandre fell asleep on me while I was trying to teach her something from one of the books" I said. "Where does she sleep?"

"Oh, she's asleep? Well then just lay her on the desk" said Patchy, lifting her feet off of the desk.

I laid her on top of the desk while Flandre snored, making me smile.

(I think this kinda explains why people like to see their Touhou characters falling asleep. You see a-lot of that on youtube.)

"Say, is Sakuya still on the ground?" asked Patchy, closing her book.

"Yeah, I think she fainted from blood loss" I answered, while Patchy sighed.

"It's things like that which keeps her from doing her duty. Why does she does that whenever Remilia lost her charisma? I will never know" said Patchy, before flying up. "Let's go to her now, so we can revive her."

(People faint because their hearts can't take it! Nosebleeding is the crying of the heart!)

I flew in the air as well, following Patchy as she led the way to Sakuya, who is still on the ground but with a troubled expression on her face.

(Eh? What's wrong?)

We touched down on the ground as Patchy held out her hand towards Sakuya, muttering some kind of incantation very fast.

"No...stay away~. Don't turn me into you with that mouth and those eyes"

(What did you say, Sakuya?)

A second later, a bolt of lightning came from Patchy's hand, jolting Sakuya away by making her stand up on the floor very fast, while holding her arms up in front of her face fearfully.

"Stay away~!" screamed Sakuya, before slowly removing her arms around her face and looking around. "I-I-Is it safe?"

(What's wrong?!)

"Sakuya, you just had a bad dream. Calm down" I said, trying to comfort Sakuya, who was shivering.

"I-I-I'm sorry. I-I-I h-have something t-to d-d-do" stuttered Sakuya before walking out. She was shivering on the way out, making me raise my eyebrows in confusion.

"Umm~, Patchy? What's gotten into her?" I asked, confused.

"To be honest, Mukyu~! I don't know either" replied Patchy, sniffing.

(Either way, it's like something is scaring her. We need to do something that could cheer her up~!)

"Uh~, we could try to give her something?" I suggested.

"This could be an opportunity to practice my Teleport magic" remarked Patchy. "Alright, I will help you restore Sakuya to her normal self by giving her a gift"

(Oh yeah, think of trying to cheer up somebody only as an opportunity.)

"Alright, how are we going to pull this off?" I asked.

"Here, wear this Ken."

Patchy handed me a small black cube-like object with little indents and scratches amongst its sides.

"Sorry for the condition, but this will allow me to track your power signature, allowing me to give you a gift when needed" explained Patchy, before getting a few books from one of the many shelves. "A flash of light will indicate your gift has arrived."

(It's over 9000~!)

"Okay, do we need anything for this?" I asked.

"Well, we are going to need something that could only come from Sakuya, I can do the rest on my own."

(Something that could only come from Sakuya, wait a second!)

Right in front of me, was a blood puddle Sakuya made with her nosebleed earlier.

"How about a blood puddle?" I said. "That only belongs to Sakuya"

(That is so convenient.)

"Perfect, I'll begin drawing a magical sigil around the puddle and look in my books for references on how to execute this. Mukyu!" said Patchy, before sneezing.

(You better not get that snot on the blood then!)

"Do you need any help?" I asked, willing to facilitate the process for Patchy.

"I haven't done anything related to teleporting in a while. So that would be nice, I'll let Koakuma take a break for this."

"Okay, now let's get to work!"

-Timeskip-

It has been several hours since we have gotten to work on a magical spell to make Sakuya feel better. The blood puddle is surrounded by a sigil surrounded by several insiginas in a circle, each with complicated and intricate words and symbols, drawn out in yellow chalk. That only took two hours, the rest of the time we spent is finding the books to find the teleport spell and references to alchemy for help regarding transforming the blood into something Sakuya will appreciate. Flandre has woken up while we were doing this, by now, she should be sleeping in her basement after Patchy told her to. Stacks of books were formed around us while we had tirelessly skimming through the pages to find the references and the teleport spell. Meiling had come in the library to tell us that Sakuya has left, before going back to her post. It is now night when we were almost done.

I was resting, having skimmed many books and not wanting to look at many more, I heard a creaking of a door.

(Is Sakuya back?)

"Go ahead. It may be Sakuya, you'll know when I teleport it to you" said Patchy.

(Flash of light, got it!)

"Okay, good luck on executing the spell!" I said before walking out of the library, stepping over the various stacks of books made.

(That was so troublesome, I hate it when dust activates my allergies.)

(Maybe that's why Patchy sneezes so much~!)

I was in the lobby, seeing Sakuya with a small bag that is already opened.

"O-Oh, hi K-Ken. I-I was just out for a l-little while" stuttered Sakuya, making me narrow my eyes at her.

(A little while. More like a long while. Okay, enough with this!)

"Sakuya, what the hell is wrong!? There's something you aren't telling us" I yelled, making Sakuya avert her eyes.

"B-But....I-I-I am afraid that-"

Suddenly, there was a big flash of light as Sakuya was interrupted. She screamed and threw the bag in there before running to me and hugging me in fear. Her arms were around my neck while she muttered little "quips."

Her sudden embrace made me take a step back, making me groan.

(Oh shit, that's bright as hell! Why is it still glowing like that?)

"Ken....w-what is that?" asked Sakuya, still stuttering her words, not daring to look back.

"Don't worry Sakuya, nothing is going to touch you" I comforted, brushing her hair, while straining to see what was in the bright flash of light.

(What the....or who is coming out of there?)

(Did Patchy mess it up?)

Soon the bright flash of light died down, and what was left is a person. The person looked just Sakuya but she had blonde highlights, her irises were gold and her retinas were red. She is in the same maid oufit as Sakuya. Her fingernails are very long and sharp. She looked at me with those insane eyes and sports a slasher smile.

(What are you? Some abomination of Sakuya?!)

The insane Sakuya stood before me brandishing her claws, before shouting, "WRY~!"

Sakuya screamed, shaking a little more violently, before frantically saying, "It's her! I'm afraid of her!"

(You're afraid of the Dio Brando Sakuya? What has the Touhou fanbase done to Touhou itself?)

(Be lucky that Cirno doesn't have a math class yet. Or else the attack of Bad Apples will fall from the sky! MADNESS!)

(I shall dub thee monster, Dio Brando Monstrosity! or DBM, like that one guy on Toujinstyle.)

Suddenly, DBM lunged at us with claws outstretched, closing the distance.

I quickly fire off five globe bullets to slow DBM down, while I sweep off Sakuya by her feet, and carried her bridal style.

Sakuya continuing looking at me while flustered, putting her thumb to her mouth, chewing her nail.

(That's cute, but I gotta get a move on.)

I hurried up the stairs leading to the long, winded hallways, hearing footsteps behind me in maddened pursuit.

I looked back once, while DBM was maddeningly gaining pursuit on us, as her mouth was foaming like a dog on rabies.

I turned a corner and kept running, while holding Sakuya, her lips were quivering.

I look in front of me as I saw a dead end, making me shiver in fear and vulnerability.

(Shit, I guess I have to face that monster myself to protect Sakuya!)

(I better not get rabies from that monster!)

As soon as I reached the dead end, Sakuya gasped, and closed her eyes.

I laid her down by the wall as I turned around to face the DBM, who leapt in the air about to slash me with her claws.

I quickly got under her and made an uppercut to her gut, making her fly backwards.

"You will not lay one finger on this person!" I proudly declared, bracing myself for a fight, while DBM recovered on the floor, and charged towards me with her claws.

"WRY~!"

I charged as well in regular running speed as I put my fist in chambered position.

As soon as I got close, I brought around my fist doing a haymaker to the DBM's face, making her hit the wall on the right of her, making little cracks.

I followed with repeated jabs to her stomach, making her vomit gray matter and ooze.

(NO PREGNANCY FOR YOU~!)

Immediately, DBM grabbed my arm and dug her fingernails to it, while pulling me in forward and tilting her head back.

She licked her lips and prepared to bite me when I forced an uppercut up her chin, making her bite off her tongue and bleed out.

She immediately let go and winced as I looked at my arm riddled with little lacerations.

But soon, she lashed out her arm at me, ignoring her bleeding tongue, as I cocked my head to dodge it barely.

I took the arm and bent it the wrong way, hearing many grotesque cracks, before landing a kick on her face.

I quickly flipped her over and slammed DBM into the ground with a loud 'thud.'

DBM slowly got up, not using her arm that has been bent in many ways.

(Are you insane? I just broke your bones.)

Again, DBM charged at me while slashing the air with her claw, barely cutting my nose with a 'whish'.

I quickly grabbed that arm and pulled with all my might.

I ripped off the DBM's arm after using my leg to kick off the head.

I look at the dismembered arm as the DBM continued to charge.

(Damn it, you still dare to attack me when I already have bandages and you have been dismembered.)

(I'm going to rip off that other arm, so you can't attack at all!)

I discarded the arm by throwing it towards the ground.

As soon as DBM was in proximity, I grabbed her other arm and swung her around, hitting many busts of Remilia and having ceramic shards stick into the body, before I finally ripped it off and making her land against the wall.

I threw the other arm I ripped off towards DBM, before grabbing a bust of Remilia, breathing in a lot.

I held it like it was a baseball bat, holding it close to my shoulder.

DBM got off the wall leaving plenty of bloodstains on the walls and floor, even if they are already scarlet.

The armless Dio Brando Monster charged forward towards me, having almost lost its balance stepping on ceramic shards and no arms to balance herself.

I charged forward as well, taking precaution in not stepping on the ceramic shards.

"WRY~!"

"GRRAH~!"

Our battlecries echoed through the hallway as I brought my bust overhead, glaring at the DBM.

Soon, as we neared proximity, I brought down the Remilia bust into the DBM's head, making her stagger backwards.

I readied my fist by cracking and twisting it, before propelling it forward towards the head, slightly hopping on one foot to gain more momentum.

"MEGATON PUNCH!" I yelled before making contact with my fist to her face, propelling her forward through the hallway.

I ran back to where Sakuya was who was covering her face with her arms while sitting in the fetal position.

I nudged her while breathing heavily, she slowly uncovered herself and stood up, looking around for the DBM.

"You...you got her" said Sakuya, smiling.

"I did. Was that the one you were scared of?" I asked.

Sakuya nodded, before snapping her fingers.

Before my eyes, the ceramic shards of busts broken have disappeared, while Sakuya was in front of me and grinned.

"That...that thing, I cut off its head just in case and threw it into the Misty Lake" said Sakuya, finishing the job for me.

(Well, why didn't you use that earlier to kill it?)

"Good job, do you wanna go to sleep. I'm tired" I said, before yawning.

(Seriously, that fight took a lot out of me for some reason. Maybe it was adrenaline.)

"Yes, I'm sure my lady could use the silence" said Sakuya, giggling.

I held out my hand. "Let's go."

Sakuya grabbed it as we went through the dark hallways together, illuminated by the moon through a few windows.

Soon, we made it to our rooms, as we stood in the darkness together.

"Again, thank you, but.." said Sakuya, while holding my arm. "Can you sleep in my room today? I'm still....scared of that monster."

(Even after you just killed it? Fine.)

"Sure, since you're so afraid" I teased, making Sakuya squeeze my arm even harder.

(Ow! I do not need the pain to keep me from going to sleep!)

We walked into Sakuya's room as I immediately leaped onto the bed, making Sakuya giggle.

I grabbed a nearby pillow and rested it on my head before closing my eyes.

Before I succumbed to slumber, I felt lips touching my cheek, making me smile.

Ken's Bizarre Adventure


	42. Supremacy Chapter 2

**Deadly Surprise**

**Ken's POV**

I woke up.

I groggily rubbed my eyes with my hands, trying to get the sand out of them.

(That was another weird dream. I'm pretty sure Patchy can't go super saiyan and beat up Vegeta.)

(Wait, what the heck am I feeling around my stomach and on my neck?)

I stopped rubbing my eyes and looked down, seeing arms wrapped around my stomach.

I felt hair tickling my cheek, and something laying on my neck.

I slowly flipped over to the other side to see Sakuya, while her head laid on the pillow we shared.

(Oh yes, this is her bed. And we are together now, especially after Patchy made a mistake.)

(Speaking of beds, this one is pretty soft, not as soft as mine back at home but....it's pretty comfortable. But the pillows here are softer.)

Slowly, Sakuya began opening her eyes until they were half-open, seeing me.

(Whoops, I guess I woke her up. Then again, you got to be pretty alert to be a maid and a guard at the same time.)

"Good morning Ken" whispered Sakuya, lightly smiling.

Sakuya's braids were undone, making her hair give off a messy outlook.

"Good morning" I replied, before yawning, covering my mouth with my hand.

I looked around me, seeing a streak of light illuminating the room from the window, giving off the sense that it is morning.

(Well, that was a long sleep.)

I put my hand on my cheek, remembering that kiss Sakuya gave me. Sakuya's pupils followed my hand and immediately her face blushed when it was on my cheek.

She took off her hands around me and sat up, looking away.

"Hey, what is it?" I asked.

"I-I only invited you in here because I was scared. I-It's not like I am...in love with you or anything..." said Sakuya, trailing off in the end.

(Denial~. That's really cliche of you, I can easily tell you do love me. Let's have a little fun with teasing.)

"Oh really? Then why did you kiss me on the cheek that night?" I teased, smirking.

Sakuya gasped lightly and became flustered, gripping the bedsheets loosely.

"Well, t-that was just to thank you. D-Don't get any ideas..."

(You must be really struggling to keep yourself in denial.)

(I remember everything, don't try to fool me.)

"Oh, apparently you haven't been demonstrating that you aren't in love with me in the past" I said slyly.

"O-Of course I have. It was just too troublesome to do it alone! Idiot!"

(Oh, I'm an idiot huh?)

(Somebody has been hanging around Remilia a lot of times. Hopefully, not enough of her attitude has rubbed off on her.)

(Then again, that can't be true because you just started to be tsundere. Why the sudden hate?)

"Then I wonder, how did you handle yourself all this time when I wasn't here?"

"..."

Sakuya was silent, while she was still blushing, then she glared angrily at me.

"W-What are you saying all of a sudden? Y-You idiot. I..."

(Time to set a trap, catch her in the act like snap!)

I shook my head, before saying, "you really have bad memory Sakuya. I should be the one asking you that. You aren't like this at all. I'm very disappointed in you. If you need me, I'll be in the restroom getting ready."

(This trap better work the second time.)

I got off the bed and began to walk away, while Sakuya still sat on the bed tilting her head down.

"Wait!"

I stopped, grinning before turning around, becoming serious.

"What? Is there something else you like to say?" I said, trying to sound impatient.

"M-My heart just throbbed again, it's your responsibility to take care of me! Why are you leaving me?!" yelled Sakuya, while her voice was breaking up.

(Hook, line, and sinker. You just fell for the same trap I laid twice.)

"Because the Sakuya I made that promise to isn't here apparently" I said before turning around and walking out the room, going straight to the restroom to wash my face.

(Alright, that should give her some time to think about it. So far, this trap is going good.)

I walked into the bathroom, closed the door, and turned on the faucet in the sink.

I splashed the water that was coming out into my face, making me more awake and alert.

(Hmm, I haven't brushed my teeth ever since I came into Gensokyo. And I'm pretty sure they weren't in good condition when I entered.)

I turned off the faucet, hearing the last of the water seep into the drain, and glanced at myself in the mirror, opening my mouth.

(Oh my god, they are so white and shiny!)

I grinned at myself looking at my teeth, whitened and giving off a sparkle.

(Even my overbite is fixed! Now my smile is fixed and beautiful!)

(Heh, no wonder there is no dentists in Gensokyo, everyone's teeth is already perfect!)

After a few minutes, I stopped being amazed at myself for having gorgeous teeth and went out the bathroom.

(Now time to check on her.)

I walked over to Sakuya's room, but apparently, her door was closed.

(Was it closed before? I'm pretty sure it was open when I left.)

I opened the door and walked in, to see Sakuya on the floor in the fetal position. She was leaning against the bed frame while crying.

(Wow, I didn't expect this to happen.)

I walked over to her and sat next to her, putting my hand around her shoulders.

Sakuya made little gasps as she slowly looked up to me, her face red, and tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Ken..." squeaked Sakuya before loudly bawling and leaning her head against my shoulder.

(Oh god, I do hope Sakuya doesn't have Multiple Personality Disorder. That would be a problem.)

After about two minutes, she finally managed to say something.

"I trusted her.....I trusted her" repeated Sakuya, not crying as much as before, but is still sorrowful.

(Maybe there is a possibility that it wasn't really Sakuya at all.)

"Who? Tell me everything" I said, curious.

Sakuya struggled to stop crying, before breathing in like she was sick.

"T-There was something else I didn't tell you before. When I was serving my lady Remilia tea when you were injured, I asked her if there was someone she liked, how would you respond to them? I didn't want to let her know that I....well, she told me that she would respond coldly to them. She said that it was to make people 'chase' her and let them try to 'sweep' her off her feet, making it the most f-fool-proof plan to love someone. I believed strongly in her words, but most of the time when you were around, I forgot them. Only that one night and today did I remember her words, I...really..." explained Sakuya, trailing off in the end.

(So it was Remilia who taught her to be tsundere. Why would you listen to her? She thinks she's superior to everyone, thus she would be inexperienced at this sort of thing. Being tsundere only creates misunderstandings unless you know how it works. Only when you are honest can people give a proper response, usually to the person's falling in love in their favor.)

(I am usually not the person to be giving romantic advice, but I am certainly am better to ask for such than a certain selfish, childish vampire.)

"So, you asked your mistress for advice?" I asked, expecting a certain response.

"Y-yes, and I trusted her! I followed her words, but it turned out like this, why?"

I moved so I sat in front of her and put my hands on her shoulder, while Sakuya kept looking down.

"Okay, Okay, Sakuya, Sakuya. Look at me. Look at me" I nagged, to get her full attention.

Sakuya slowly looked up to me, our eyes connected, hers was red while releasing tears.

"If you be mean like that, then you would only create a misunderstanding between people, unless they know how it works. I on the other hand, am irritated at that. Why would I be with someone who acts like a jerk? I am telling you this right now. Be honest when it comes to things like this. Now, what do you really want to tell me?" I asked.

Sakuya's face tilted down, avoiding contact with my eyes, her face became really red, and her eyes narrowed.

She put her hand to her chest, making little gasps.

"...Y-You make me feel so uneasy...I don't know if...I can" breathed Sakuya.

"Come on Sakuya, you can do it!"

(It's really not that hard.)

Sakuya hesitated for a moment, before looking straight at me with her eyes opened, shouting "I really like you!" before tilting head down and audibly crying.

"There, there. We already were together in the first place when I promised that I would take responsibility for you. You didn't need to be so sure by pretending to be a jerk. Here," I said, before tilting her head up.

Sakuya looked straight into my eyes when I tilted her head up with my hand on her chin, her lips were quivering while parted.

She continued to stare straight into me when I leaned forward and pecked her in the lips. Leaning back, I rubbed away the tears of the surprised Sakuya with my thumb and stood up.

"That's the Sakuya I know. Come on, we got a long day ahead of us" I said, before holding out my hand, smiling.

Sakuya slowly reached her hand and grabbed it, before I pulled her up lightly.

"T-Thank you, Ken...for taking responsibility for me. I should go wake my lady Remilia up now, I'll meet you outside when it's noon" said Sakuya, before leaving the room.

(Well, that problem is solved, what could I do till noon? I remember seeing some interesting books while I was helping Patchy with that spell. Maybe I should go read a little bit, plus I get the chance to yell at Patchy.)

I walked out of the room, through the corridors, and down the stairs before being at the library myself.

(I am going to give Patchy a piece of my mind.)

-Timeskip-

It was noon when I noticed a hanging clock ring ominously scary.

(So that's where that ticking noise came from, how did I never notice that big clock hanging like a pendulum?)

I sat in silence shocked while holding a book I picked out, which was "Watership Down."

When I had entered the library, I went straight to the center of the library, where Patchy was at reading her Yaoi. I walked up to her, and ranted to her about how I had to fight off the gift. Patchy simply had shrugged it off like it was nothing and said it was a long while before she did any teleporting spells. Still she apologized how it was a bother for me, I decided there was no use in yelling at her if she responds so nonchalantly like it doesn't matter, so I went ahead and picked out a book, before choosing a seat.

I looked back down to my book, after remembering the past events, and closed it.

(Never had I thought a book about rabbits was so intriguing back when I was a freshman, now it's somewhat interesting reading it. Even if the strange vocabulary puzzle me.)

I walked around in the library until I found a slot where the book was, putting it back.

(There, it perfectly fits in there.)

I walked out the library and went outside the mansion, noticing the lack of snow on the ground.

(I think at this point, I would be happier than Lily White to see Spring like this, especially if there's no pollen to give me allergies. Or at least that's what I think.)

"Hey!" yelled a voice behind me.

I turned around and I saw Sakuya holding a umbrella over Remilia, smiling while Remilia looked indifferent.

"Well, let's go, time's a wasting" I said, before flying up in the air towards the Hakurei Shrine.

(I haven't been there in a while, so I guess I'll say hi.)

Soon, Remilia and Sakuya followed as the sun met me in the sky, giving me a nice, refreshing sunbath.

(Ahh~, I should probably get out more often.)

I noticed the landscape below me was devoid of snow as well, other than the snow surrounding the misty lake, since the misty lake is known to be cold around that area, making the snow stay in its solid form.

(Yuyuko and Youmu must have returned the spring as they promised, or at least that's what I remember from playing the game. I did not enjoy fainting at the last minute.)

I heard heavenly chirping noises in the Forest of Magic as they somewhat made me feel more relaxed and perverted.

(I'm guessing somebody can't get enough of those chin-chins.)

We neared closer to the Hakurei Shrine as I already saw Reimu sweeping the courtyard of her own shrine in the distance.

(I wonder she's doing right now living off of grass and doing hard work such as sweeping and counting money.)

Soon, as soon as me, Remilia, and Sakuya were right above the shrine, we descended down to the courtyard behind Reimu, without even her noticing.

(She must be so intent in her sweeping she didn't even notice us flying. You gotta love a blind shrine maiden.)

I cupped my hands around my mouth before shouting, "RAY~MOO~!"

This made Reimu jump a little bit in the air before glaring straight at us with her broom in combat stance.

"Oh, it's you, and the annoying vampire" said Reimu, annoyed.

(I don't know if its a good thing or not if she didn't acknowledge Sakuya.)

"How's everything Reimu?" I said sarcastically, snickering. "Been busy with your sweeping and all?"

My sarcasm made Reimu throw the broom at me, when I caught it easily, Reimu simply stomped off back to her shrine.

"Sweep. Now!" yelled Reimu, before sliding the door closed loudly.

"Screw that!" I said before throwing the broom into the courtyard.

(Besides, I don't live here anymore.)

Suddenly, a red ofuda talisman struck the ground beside me, making me jump a little bit and my heart beating really fast.

"What was that?!" asked Reimu, threateningly.

"I'm sweeping, I'm sweeping. Alright?!" I panicked before grabbing the broom and sweeping the ground like my life depended on it.

"Good, I will make you guys some tea depending on how hard Ken sweeps the courtyard" said Reimu before once again sliding the door closed.

I heard a giggle from Sakuya, making me somewhat embarrassed.

"Ahaha, you let that puny shrine maiden boss you around? You are pathetic, Ken" gloated Remilia.

(I wouldn't be talking like that Remilia.)

Suddenly, three needles struck Remilia's hat, taking it off Remilia's head and sticking it into the ground, right in front of me.

(Told you.)

"Would you like to sweep too? You brat" said Reimu, giving her the evil eyes.

"No no, I'm fine" timidly replied Remilia before nudging on Sakuya's clothes.

In a flash, the hat disappeared as it was now on Remilia's head, without the needles sticking in there.

(Abusing time-control now are we?)

I continued sweeping for the next three minutes before Reimu came out with a plate of four cups of tea.

I immediately dropped my broom and walked towards the shrine.

But Reimu snapped her fingers and pointed towards the broom, saying, "you aren't done sweeping yet. Keep doing it!"

(Jeez, come on.)

Suddenly, I heard impending footsteps coming up from the staircase, making me stop sweeping and look towards the entrance.

"Who is it?" asked Reimu, slowly lowering her teacup while sitting next to Remilia and Sakuya on the donation box.

"I don't know" I said, before seeing a head pop out from the staircase.

Soon he revealed himself to be a person in his 20's, wearing traditional japanese clothing, and a headband on his forehead.

He was panting heavily as he put his hand on the red Tengu gate, catching his breath while leaning over.

"Shrine maiden! We need your- by the dragon, it's the devil!" yelled the man, shakily pointing his finger at Remilia, who seemed to be basking in his fear.

(That's not something to be proud of!)

"Listen, don't worry about them. What's going on?!" I asked, dropping the broom.

**Unknown POV**

It was morning while I recently got done rebuilding a home for a friend of mine. I wiped the sweat off my face while holding a hammer.

The human village was very lively today as there were people outside happily talking to each other. Some of them were even youkai, while exchanging interests.

Luckily, of course they did not harm us humans, as we have a protector here who can take care of those youkai.

"Hey, Ryuuji!" yelled a voice behind me.

I turned around, seeing it was a friend I built the house for.

"Hey Eikichi, I just got done building your house" I said, proudly basking in my work of art.

"Jeez, by the name of Onizuka, it looks so good! And you did it by yourself! Thanks Ryuuji, but I got here to inform you your wife needs some help at the fish stall" remarked Eikichi.

"Oh, Taiga needs help? Very rarely does the stall ever get busy, I'm on it! Enjoy your new home!" I said, before dropping the hammer and rushing to the fish stall in the human village.

Ever since that blizzard struck, everyone has been struggling to live in this village since our stores were running out. We were afraid we would starve to death, but then it stopped. The snow melted, and news circulated that the Shrine maiden, a witch, an unknown person, and the dog of the devil helped stop the people behind this blizzard. Thanks to that, our village slowly recovered as people began to grow their food once again, taking advantage of the excellent soil we used to grow fruit, known to grow in less than a day, thanks to the decomposed bodies of selfless youkai.

I made it to the fish stall, seeing it was very busy, my wife looked very tired, but lightened up when she saw me.

"Ryuuji! Thanks to the blizzard we had, Minori and Kitamura are still sick at their homes, and it's very hard for me to keep up orders, help me out!" yelled Taiga, a short long-haired person, holding little paper tags.

"Okay! I'm on it!" I said before entering the stall through a back door.

Soon, we successfully managed to feed the customers while they were content, making me and Taiga tired as we worked until noon, where there were no longer any customers.

"Ah, I guess they lost their appetite for fish!" I commented.

"I guess so. Wait, why are there people running?" asked Taiga.

Outside the stall, there were people running away from an unknown source as they had something in common with what they were saying.

"Nekomata."

Immediately that name gave me shivers as I grabbed Taiga's hand.

"We need to get out of here quickly!" I yelled.

"Hurry!" replied Taiga.

We ran out of the store before becoming bewildered at the people running.

"We must get out of here! The protector is at the school with the children! She'll protect them!" yelled one of the screaming villagers.

"Somebody get the shrine maiden!"

"My home!"

"No~! Our Ami!" yelled Taiga, before running towards the school, opposite the direction of where people are going.

"Stop Taiga! The protector is with them, I'm sure she will come soon!" I said.

But stubbornly she kept on running, so I followed her through the crowd.

I saw debris flying around, seeing houses on fire.

"Taiga~!" I yelled, trying to get close to her.

Soon, Taiga was standing there, staring straight at a girl with two tails, cat ears with a ring in one of them, in a red little outfit.

I quickly grabbed Taiga and pulled her back, before running back in the other direction while carrying her.

Soon, the girl circled around us so quickly she became a blur before standing in front of us.

"Going somewhere?" smirked the cat girl.

We turned around and ran in the other direction, while I was holding Taiga's hand.

Again, the nekomata circled around and met us in a blur, freezing both me and Taiga in place.

Taiga let go of my hand and tried to punch her in the face.

"Wait, don't!" I warned, but it was too late.

The nekomata stopped her punch with her own finger and flicked her back on her forehead, launching her towards me.

We collapsed on the ground, vulnerable to the nekomata, Taiga was sprawled on my chest, unconscious. There were no longer any other villagers near us, having already fled the village.

"What did you do to my wife?!" I yelled.

"Oh your wife! She wasn't being nice. I only wanted to play!" said the nekomata maliciously.

"Go away! Leave us alone!"

"So you don't want to play huh? I guess I will have to MAKE YOU" threatened the nekomata.

She raised her claws in the air and begin to rapidly descend upon us.

(At least in death, the dragon and the tiger can be together. This must be what they call lover's suicide.)

I closed my eyes, ready to meet my fate.

A few seconds later, I opened them, not feeling any pain at all.

I looked at my wife, she wasn't affected by the claws either.

I looked up, seeing the nekomata knocked backwards by a knife to the face.

"Hurry! Get out of here!" yelled a man's voice behind me.

Quickly following orders, I grabbed my wife and carried her out to a safe distance between two stalls, seeing four people running towards the nekomata.

It was the dog of the devil to my surprise, the devil herself, the Hakurei Shrine maiden, and an unknown man.

(Is this the man who helped stopped the blizzard? He doesn't seem to be well-known. I have never seen him before, such strange clothing he is wearing.)

The man rushed up to the nekomata and gave her an uppercut, yelling, "and I thought you were just moe! The fans were wrong all along!"

(What does this strange man mean?)

The nekomata flinched upwards before she was tackled to the ground by the man.

The man immediately descended upon the nekomata with a flurry of blows of ungodly strength. Every punch he inflicted made little cracks in the ground. The three that followed merely stayed behind and came to my side.

"Let him handle this" said the dog of the devil, calmly.

(Should I be scared of this nekomata, or the devil standing next to me?)

Soon, the nekomata grabbed the man and launched him back, but he managed to land on his feet.

The nekomata recovered and got on her feet before charging directly towards the man by curling into a ball in mid-air and zipped towards the man while twirling around in the ball.

The man quickly moved out of the way, when the nekomata got in proximity of him, he grabbed the nekomata and slammed her into the ground, making a dust cloud kick up in the air.

(Such brute strength does this man show!)

The man flipped backwards in the air ready to anticipate another move.

Soon, the nekomata recovered and pulled out some kind of card, before declaring "Oni Sign! Blue Oni! Red Oni!"

(Is this one an oni too?!)

As soon as the dust settled, transparent fists of red and blue crashed against the ground near the man, hitting with such a force that a mini shock wave resulted from each impact on the ground. However the man took it really easily, he merely dodged them barely every half-second.

The fists came from above the nekomata, as she focused intently on the man while moving side to side.

The man quickly circled her, sending fists everywhere in the village, one of them crashed into a home, making the wood crumble and fall.

Soon he got right up to her face, whacked her down to the ground, before retreating.

(What is that man doing?)

Soon a red transparent fist came crashing down on the nekomata, making her shriek loudly from the impact of her own fist.

It apparently canceled out the rest of the impending fists coming as the man stood ready, observing the nekomata carefully, chuckling.

(This man also possesses acumen? Such a dangerous person.)

After a while, the nekomata got up and took out a card, before declaring, "Oni God! Soaring Guardian God!"

(Does this nekomata have a master!?)

Once again, the nekomata curled up into a ball before circling the man slowly, unleashing many danmaku bullets from her trail, sometimes also resulting in an arc of circle bullets.

(I remember those things, they burn! The man needs to get out!)

Suddenly, the devil stepped out into the open with the dog covering her with a parasol.

(What does she think she's doing?)

The man is entrapped by the bullets, trying to analyze them from all around him.

Suddenly, he notices the devil and nods, before bracing himself.

He scoffs as he takes on the danmaku bullets like they were nothing, even as he winces from each bullet.

While doing this, the devil stretched her hands in front of her, and unleashed some kind of chain with a strange red aura. It had a spear-like thing at the end. The chain soon reached the nekomata, stopping her in her tracks, along with the danmaku bullets.

The man pants heavily as he collapsed to the ground, heavily breathing with burn marks all around him.

The chain envelops the nekomata as they slowly constrict her.

The nekomata shrieks as the grip around her is being tightened.

After a minute, the nekomata yells, "okay! I give! Let me go!"

The chain dissipated and the nekomata tries to make a break for it out of the village, but soon the man who just on the floor, turned into a blur as he was in front of the nekomata. The man gave off a diabolical smile while the nekomata shook in fear, her tails frozen.

"Hey! Let me go!" yelled the nekomata, before throwing a fist at the man's stomach.

The man shook her hand before he parried the fist to her side and grabbed her by the throat in one hand.

"TELL ME WHERE YOUR MASTER LIVES OR ELSE YOUR TAILS WILL GET CHOPPED OFF!" threatened the man evilly.

"Okay! Fine! Let me find my master first in this village!" yelled the nekomata.


	43. Supremacy Chapter 3

**Sinister Trickster with Charming Facade**

Ken's POV

(Jeez, I always thought Chen was so cute and moe~.)

(Now she is attacking the village? Is there something in reading Perfect Momento in Strict Sense I overlooked?)

I continued to hold up Chen by the neck, glaring at her intently.

I put my other hand on Chen's head as I began to turn her around, so that her back was facing me.

"Now show me the way, or-" I tightened the grip of my hand on her neck, making her yelp. "Your master will have to bury your corpse."

"Okay!" choked Chen, the nekomata gripped in the neck by my hand. "My master is way over there, just keep going where I am facing!"

Chen tried to resist by trying to pry apart my hand, but my strength kept it shut unwaveringly, I looked in front of her, seeing dust kick up in the sky.

(So, your master Ran is also involved in this?)

I ran to the direction pointed out while the dust cloud got bigger and bigger.

I saw random bullets flying out of the dust cloud, they were butterfly and arrow danmaku going everywhere, hitting buildings, the ground, even the trees nearby.

There were three stray arrow bullets aimed towards me, making me narrow my eyes.

Using Chen, I moved her around with my hand, as a shield to protect me from the bullets.

"Wah~! Not fair!" screamed Chen.

"Is this where your master is?" I asked, before looking behind me. I saw the couple whom Chen was about to attack. The man was carrying the woman on his back.

(Those two seem awfully familiar.)

Reimu, Remilia, and Sakuya were standing right by them. The man stood away from Remilia right next to Reimu, possibly afraid of the 'Scarlet Devil.'

"Yes. Now let me go~!" whined Chen, struggling even more with her legs kicking.

I sighed, not wanting to put up with someone as troublesome as this, I loosened my grip.

Chen dropped straight to the ground on her legs and ran into the dust cloud.

I waited a while as the cloud dissipated, eventually revealing Keine on the ground, and a woman with yellow eyes, and golden brown short hair. She's wearing a pink two-tailed hat with many amulets, seemingly hiding the fox ears, and nine large, poofy fox tails. She dons a blue and white outfit.

Keine was coughing heavily as she retreated into a building nearby, which could possibly be the school.

(Woah, Ran is too much for the protector of the village. Too bad it's not the full moon yet.)

(Ran. I can easily tell by the nine tails on your back, you are probably the closest to that weeaboo-infested anime I used to watch.)

"YOU DARE TO HURT MY SHIKIGAMI?! YOU IMPUDENT WHELP!" yelled Ran, with a terrified Chen behind her back, gripping her outfit.

"See! That's the man who hurt me!" whined Chen, pointing at me while shaking her hand.

"FOOL! YOU WILL DIE FOR HURTING MY PRECIOUS SHIKIGAMI!"

(I didn't think you were more obsessed with Chen than how fans portrayed you.)

(Then again, you and that cat were attacking!)

"Your Chen almost razed a village! How else am I supposed to respond to that?" I yelled.

"With a red snapper of course!" yelled Ran, sighing. "No matter, My name is Ran Yakumo. You have attacked my shikigami. Prepare to Die!"

I twitched a little bit, before yelling, "STOP STEALING MY LINES!"

Ran gave me a puzzled look for a second, before glaring at me while taking out a spell card.

(Bring it on then.)

I braced myself, ready for the inevitable, observing Ran carefully while Chen ran away.

(I thought Ran was friendly in the human village. What happened?)

"Shikigami's Radiance! Fox-Tanuki Youkai Laser!" declared Ran as she began to bring her fist in chambered position.

(She's doing a laser I know that, but where is it?)

Ran suddenly extended forward the fist, making a blue globe bullet come at me in fast speed with several blue circular bullets trailing the globe bullet.

I moved out of the way quickly and dodged the blue circular bullets as well, but in its path revealed many lasers extending from the path like spikes on a rose. Before they were small little lasers before becoming larger, giving me a thankful warning. Two lasers were close to my head and my ass, while I could feel the heatwave from the lasers.

Suddenly Ran repeated her chambered punch, making a red globe bullet come out with the same properties as the blue globe attack. Thankfully, the lasers from the blue globe attack dissipated and gave me room to dodge the red globe attack, soon also making lasers that slightly intersected each other to trap me in between two lasers.

(What the hell? This is a simple pattern. I don't get how Keine was held off by such attacks like this.)

I moved to and fro repeatably, while dodging the bullets Ran threw at me. I used my seeking sand attack, hoping to make that familiar 'hum' com back to me.

As the small particles come out from my attack, it helped stop the lasers be stopped from continuing on its path.

(Thank goodness for the seeking sand attack.)

(This isn't so hard for an extra stage boss.)

I continued to do this until I heard a high hum, when I was already bored with her pattern.

(Thank goodness, this is embarrassing for someone like her to fight like this.)

I had just sidestepped a red globe attack while being dangerously close to the lasers, making me hold still in place.

(Woah, this is a close one. At least this one made me more alert. I'm practically sweating from these lasers.)

I felt my skin becoming oily and hot, my sweat pouring all over in my body.

(I can't fly up right now because of lasers in my way, this sucks.)

Suddenly, while the lasers held me in place, Ran fired straight at me the blue globe attack, as I was noting the sweat on my face.

(OH SHI-, oh I broke it.)

The bullets and the laser disappeared when I heard a 'break' sound, signaling that the card was over.

"Come on! Can't this be any harder?!" I yelled.

Ran didn't respond as she rose up in the air, I did so also, needing a breeze to cool me down.

(The sun is already hot enough, and Gensokyo just suffered from a blizzard. Why is it already strangely warm?)

Ran smirked before taking out her spell card. She declared, "Shikigami's Radiance! Princess Tenko -Illusion-!" before curling up into a ball.

(You too? Chen and Ran must love copying Sonic only their clothes don't get dirty like Sonic would if he did that on the ground. At least the spell card sounds hard, there's the word illusion in there.)

Ran immediately charged towards me while twirling in her ball form.

(Try to fool me twice with that attack. Shame on you.)

I got ready to sidestep and grab her, while Ran began to get closer, making me focus intently on her.

(Bring it on!)

I saw her hand come out of ball form and flick something at me, but I didn't feel anything.

I sidestepped and tried to grab her, if she didn't suddenly disappear.

(What the? Is this an illusion?)

I heard an evil giggle behind me, making my skin be covered in goosebumps.

(That's really putting a chill down my spine. Where is she?!)

I looked around, no sign of Ran anywhere, when suddenly, I was punched square in the face. My nose began bleeding and I flinched with my eyes closed.

(This is possibly the first time my nose was bleeding without moe attack.)

I opened my eyes, and noticed my surroundings I was in. I was seeing myself in a hazy orange room with a strange black pattern hovering under me, as if it was trying to portray something.

(Where the hell am I?!)

Everywhere I looked it seems as if it was smoking an image. I felt very light-headed as I flew throughout the room, hovering over the black pattern.

(Could this be what it feels like if you're high?)

I suddenly felt more alert when I heard another evil giggling on my right. I immediately punched in that direction, but what happened instead was a circular blast of butterfly danmaku columns, six in each column. My body took on a whole column while dodging the rest. I was unusually in searing pain, as it felt like an iron was ironing my skin.

(Gah~! What happened to my training!? It shouldn't hurt that much.)

All of a sudden, I saw a flash of Ran in front of me, before out came the same circular blast from where she used to be.

I quickly grazed it with ease, becoming more alert by the second.

"Where the hell am I!?" I shouted.

"Fufufu~, you're in my world now~" sung Ran's voice from all around me, giving me the chills.

Suddenly, I felt a strong migraine in my head, feeling like something was forcibly being pulled out of my head.

It's like my head was strongly trying to push something out, as I held my head and spreading my legs.

"My head! GYAH~!" I yelled, before going through excruciating pain at the moment, paralyzed, before there was no more pain.

I looked up, seeing Ran just disappear into smoke, before suddenly attacking me with the same blue globe attack from the last spell card.

I was stunned and I couldn't move, so I was struck up in the air by the globe bullet, being juggled several time by the blue circle bullets that followed the globe bullet.

(I am taking more pain than usual. It's weakening my body. I need to find the source of this....or I can hold out. There has to be some kind of timer on this spell.)

"Over here~" sung a voice above me.

I peered up, Ran was above me, smirking evilly, while being so close that I felt her breath on me. She looks like she doesn't know I was already looking up.

(Hehehe, I'll end this. I'll end this.)

I grabbed Ran in the head and pulled her into the front, only to notice her disappear again but in my hands.

"Damn it~! How do I cancel this?!" I yelled, becoming slightly more panicked.

"Simple. You don't" replied a voice before my head was pulled up in the air, making my neck pop and crack.

I couldn't put my head back down as I struggled, feeling like my head was about to be pulled off. I heard sinister giggling in the background.

I raised my hands in front of me and tried to use my seeking sand attack, knowing that it homes in on the target, however, it just wanders in air before dissipating on their own.

(Damn it. I can't....find...her!)

Then it stopped, as my head went back down immediately, I looked in front of me and saw Ran, slowly taking out a card.

"Kokkuri's Contract" muttered Ran before disappearing once more, dropping her feathery-like card.

Suddenly there was an insignia below me, spinning, as 12 glowing red and orange orbs materialized around me as each orb started to make a spike outwards rather than inwards towards me.

(What the hell is going on? What is this thing I'm in?)

It started spinning around me, as it was going in the opposite direction, heading towards me.

My body wouldn't allow me to fly above or below it, as it appeared that I was on the ground. So I merely stayed in it as much as possible, so I wouldn't have to find out what would happen if I touched one of those orbs. I was enclosed by orbs, as if I was in a cage.

"See if you can live after this" whispered Ran all around me before the orbs begin to shoot out blue bullets towards the center. The orbs shot all around me, making me have to be more and more alert. To make matters worse, there are explosions of red and orange arrow danmaku from outside the orbs, as the arrow bullets found their way towards me to make things more challenging. I noticed that there were sigils outside the orbs, when a white trail reached the sigil, it would warp and make an explosion of red and orange arrow danmaku.

While I observed this, I was immediately hit on all sides by 12 blue bullets, making me feel many burns on my chest and thighs. Since the orbs spun at random, there is no definite pattern to easily dodge this, it was all randomized.

(Crap, I am definitely going to need some help.)

I used my seeking sand attack with the intent to disable the orbs, surprisingly they cancel the bullets. So I put my hands on my side, palms raised, and used my seeking sand. I danced around the bullets, evading them more efficiently, while occasionally getting one bullet to the ass.

(Now it hurts twice as much, why didn't we work on that part?)

After about half a minute, it seemed as if the orbs are closing in on me, slowly the bullets started getting more dense as the amount of room around the bullets decreased, making it harder for me to not get hit with the blue bullets and the arrow bullets.

Soon, it got to the point where the orbs were only twelve inches away from me, making my seeking sand attack the only defense against the blue bullets, while I moved my upper body around and around to dodge the arrow danmaku. I started to pant heavily, as I became more and more reliant on my danmaku defense, tiring me out.

(Crap, I'm getting tired, yet the bullets are so close.....gotta keep going.)

"Now is the chance! Eiyah~!" screamed a voice above me.

"Chen~! No~!" yelled Ran, apparently losing her sinister composure.

(What the?!)

I glared up while still using the seeking sand attack, seeing Chen in her ball form twirling towards me at high speed.

(More like my chance! I better get ready.)  
The last of the arrow danmaku attacked me while Chen neared closer, she created a breeze I could feel comforting yet alarming.

(I better get ready for sudden pain on my lower body. But it's a risk I have to take. I do know for a fact Chen is Ran's beloved shikigami.)

As soon as Chen got really close, I grabbed her and quickly crouched down. I stopped my seeking sand attack as I twirled her around and around very fast. I felt like a centrifuge, as I used Chen as a shield to defend me from the bullets the orbs were creating.

(I'm guessing this is what it kinda feels like when you curl yourself in a ball and twirl around.

Chen didn't shriek, instead she was grunting from all the hits she took. I felt more and more lethargic as I felt myself decreasing in speed.

(I need to keep going...just a little bit longer..)

"STOP~!" yelled Ran's voice suddenly, making an echo effect.

"Let go of me! Let go of me~!" Chen shrieked while resisting, making my arms shake and almost lose their grip on her.

The bullets begin to disappear and soon the orbs did so too, as I stop spinning around. I didn't feel particularly dizzy, when suddenly I felt like I was struck in the head once again.

I felt like something was sucking back in me, my vision has turned into somewhat of a tunnel, as a flash of light came through.

During this, I felt like I was being recharged, my energy that has been drained is coming back, making me feel more vigorous.

I did all this while holding Chen, who was struggling in my once-weakened arms, my grip now tightened and my limbs no longer shaking, as my vigor is restored.

The light became more and more blinding, before I was forced to close my eyes, seeing the darkness that shed my eyes now a bright orange.

(Ah~! Too bright!)

"Give her back to me" said Ran, her voice only coming from one direction.

I opened my eyes, my surroundings indicate that of the human village. I was back from Ran's world, mentally tired from her illusion.

(That was a spell card? Maybe it's one of those survival spell cards, I didn't survive that very well.)

I panted, saying, "hah...hah...I'm back?...hah...hah."

I was crouching on the ground while holding Chen, who stopped struggling and tried to whip my face with her tails.

(It's not working.)

I immediately caught sight of the five that followed me here, all with shocked and terrified faces, except Remilia's and the woman, who was laughing at me and sleeping, respectively.

"Ken? What happened? You were just punching in the air and flinching at nothing. Are you okay?" asked Reimu, who has her ofuda in her hand.

"Ahaha~, look at you punching the air! That was certainly embarrassing!" gloated Remilia.

(I really don't want another word from you, you childish brat!)

I narrowed my eyes at Remilia before looking around once more, seeing Ran, who seemed tense and impatient.

"GIVE HER BACK TO ME NOW~!" demanded Ran, balling her hands to fists.

(Since you did that........illusion to me, what makes you think I'm going to do that?)

I threw Chen towards the group, the man caught Chen while holding a woman on his back, terrified at Chen, who had an evil smile, for having caught her.

"If you dare hurt me, you will face the wrath of these people!" said the man fearlessly, before turning around to let Chen see Reimu, Sakuya, and Remilia.

Chen shook in place, and yelped, before covering her head.

"I think we should give her a bath" suggested Reimu, nodding at Sakuya, who nodded back.

"No! No! No!" shrieked Chen, her tails wrapped around her chest.

"GIVE HER BACK!" demanded Ran once again.

"No" I replied sternly, having Ran glare at me angrily and take out a spell card.

"Then if you won't, I take her back myself! Illusion God! Descent of Izuna Gongen!" declared Ran, going up in the air, extremely angry.

I went up in the air as well, glad I have the ability to fly now.

(This better not be another of those...things. Bring it on! I got a surprise of my own!)

I also took out a spell card, knowing what it read by my grip.

Ran began twirling around, while her body continuously shot out columns of shards in the direction she is facing.

This was surprisingly easy, as I could easily shimmy one step and another in the other direction, making minimal movement.

(Uh, is this supposed to be a challenge?)

I narrowed my eyes at Ran shaking my head before she soon also shoots out butterfly columns, ending up in the middle of the shard columns.

(So there's more? Oh goodness.)

I still found it easy to graze, continuing my strategy of shimmying. I put the card in my mouth and began using my seeking sand attack. The small white particles passed through the bullets as they headed straight for Ran, as I heard that low hum again.

(God, why is it so suddenly easy? Why did I take out my spell card again?)

Ran begins to shoot red globe bullets in pairs of two rapidly, negating my strategy of shimmying.

(Never mind, if there's more, maybe I should use my spell card.)

(Well crap, I need to actually read the bullets.)

I barely grazed a column of shards near my head, one of them made a little cut on my face just below the eye.

(If that was a little more up, I would have gone crazy. Sight is a valuable thing in Gensokyo.)

(At least my trained body is back, it doesn't really hurt any more, just a slight burn.)

After a few seconds, Ran shoots a dense collection of violet arrow bullets continuously, mixing in with the bullets she's already making at a face pace.

(Um, maybe I should activate it now.)

I stopped my seeking sand attack and took out my card from my mouth, holding it high in the air just as Ran shoots out extremely fast yellow circle bullets.

(Oh shit, I better hurry! I can't be distracted right now!)

"Split Sign! Splitting Beam!" I declared, while the card somehow glowed yellow before disappearing.

(It glowed, that never happened before...)

I held out both of my hands and put them together in some kamehameha pose, generating a small beam in between the palms of my hands.

I noticed I began to feel burning sensations all over my body as the danmaku hit my body, Ran looked confused and tried to look past her own danmaku.

The beam grew in my hands to the tips of my fingers, while negating the danmaku all around it, creating a tunnel towards Ran, who looked distressed.

It hit on her chest, making Ran wince in pain due to her facial expressions.

I slowly moved the palms apart as I made two sparks the size of my hand, splitting it, and negating the majority of the danmaku it comes close to.  
The sparks split again into fiery balls as they move off to the side. I expected the balls to just move away and shoot a single blue bullet for each one. Instead, the balls shot a small blue laser at Ran for each ball, puncturing her a lot. After the lasers disappeared, the fiery balls grew two times their size, before rushing towards Ran. Every ball hit Ran, catching her off-guard, and canceling her spell.

"Okay! I give!" conceded Ran, hovering towards Ken slowly.

"Okay, but you must tell me where your Mistress lives" I said, glaring at her.

Ran gasped, before saying "and what makes you think I will lead you to my mistress?"

"Then Chen will be staying with us until you show us the way" I said, blackmailing her in a way.

Ran seemed to have trouble making a decision, as she looked at her hands and raised and lowered them.

"....Fine. Tonight, you better be ready at this.....Devil's Mansion" growled Ran.

(Good, but how does she know where I live?)

Ran flew away into the air, leaving Chen behind. I flew to the group that was at the ground, suddenly feeling massive burns on my body.

(Well, at least it's not as worse as last time.)

"Okay, you two" I said, pointing to the couple. "Go tell everywhere the danger is over, they can go back home. You can drop her if you like."

"Y-Yes sir!" said the man before dropping Chen to the ground and rushing outside the village, yelling, "ALL CLEAR!"

"We're taking her with us, it's the only way we can get to Mayohiga" I said, picking up Chen.

"W-Where's Ran? I want her now!" bawled Chen, making tear streaks.

"Don't worry. You'll see her tonight, you will be staying with us till then. DO YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT?!" I said before making a scary face.

"N-No. Don't beat me up!" shrieked Chen.

"Don't worry about that. I know someone you can play with" I said, secretly doubting myself.

(I'm not sure if I should let Chen and Flandre play together.)

(It's worth a shot though.)

"Let's go" I said before flying to the mansion.


	44. Supremacy Chapter 4

**Ken the Combat Butler....Babysitter**

[A/N: NSFW]

**Ken's POV**

"Now remember Ken. She is your responsibility! If we see one mess in this mansion, you will be kicked out" said Remilia, glaring at me.

Chen is on my back while she was sleeping, apparently bored from being carried over to the SDM. Me, Sakuya, Chen, and Remilia were in the library while Patchy was up in her room.

"Don't worry about it. I'm a good babysitter" I said, with false confidence.

(If the kids I babysit do nothing but play video games on their laptops.)

Both Remilia and Sakuya gave me a bewildered look while Sakuya's eyes twitched.

"So you sit on babies?" asked Remilia.

"No!" I said frantically. "That's a phrase for taking care of kids."

(Have you both never heard of that phrase before?)

"Oh. I thought you were much more....weirder than I thought" said Remilia, pausing in the middle. "Sakuya, get food ready. I'm hungry."

"Yes, my lady Remilia" obeyed Sakuya, before walking out of the library with Remilia, whose wings are flapping slightly.

(I probably should have asked what we are having to eat....but then I got a child to take care of.)

I looked over my left shoulder where Chen was resting her head, drooling.

(Speaking of children, time to wake her up.)

I got her off my back and stood her up on the ground. Shortly after, she collapsed to the floor, still sleeping soundly.

(Well, that's one heavy sleeper for you.)

(As much as I want to leave her here, I also want to stay here.)

(Time to wake her up, and probably regret it in the end too.)

I bent down and grasped her shoulders before shaking them violently.

"Hey. Chen. Wake up. WAKE UP! CHEN! WAKE U-"

A sharp pain tinged my cheek as Chen's hand went partly in my shirt.

I felt something warm stream down my cheek, stopping at my chin, while anger bubbled up inside me.

(You did not just scratch my face!)

Chen opened her eyes half way and looked at my face, before opening them widely. She closed her eyes shortly, and shook violently.

"Don't hurt me! Ranny~!"screamed Chen, making me look at her with disdain.

We waited a few moments, before Chen slowly opened her eyes again.

"Where's Ranny?" squeaked Chen, still shaking.

"Ranny is not here right now" I said, with an ominous aura surrounding me.

Chen covered her face with her arms and shook silently, making whimpering noises.

(I really want to punch her in the face, but that's not gonna be good in the future.)

(I don't want to let people know I punch lolicons in the face if I get angry with them.)

I took a deep breath and tried to relax, ignoring the stinging sensation on my face.

(Of all the things I'm grateful for, it's the fact my face didn't harden to physical damage like the rest of the body is. Save my ass.)

(I must be....tolerant...no matter how much it pains me to do.)

A minute passed and Chen slowly stopped shaking, and peered through her arms.

Chen stares at me in silence while I sighed, bending back my spine to my normal posture.

"Just don't get on my bad side" I said, pulling a fake smile.

(Or else it's gonna be one hell of a spanking for you!)

(Judging by how Chen acts, I don't think Ran is a very good guardian at all. If she just lets her attack the village, what kind of a guardian is she to not care for her shikigami like that?)

(This is going to be one hell of a day, I just need to hold out until Ran gets here.)

"Hey Mister~!" said a voice loudly echoing in the library on my right.

I looked to my right to see Flandre, who looked very happy today, while she ran up to me with her arms outstretched.

She leaped and embraced my chest, making me take a few steps back before I was stable again.

"My name is Ken, Flanny" I said, rolling my eyes.

"KEN~!" yelled Flandre into my stomach, muffled.

(Hopefully she'll remember that.)

Flandre looked up to me and became even more happier, before saying, "Ken, I'm thirsty~!"

I had no idea what she said, making me confused.

(What does she mean by thirsty?)

A drop of blood fell off my chin plummeting towards Flandre. Flandre opened her mouth as it landed on her tongue while Flandre tries to examine its taste for a few seconds. After that, she reached out towards the ceiling with her hands, before saying, "Pick me up."

(Eh? Oh~! She wants my blood?)

I picked up under her armpits with no effort, before holding her like a baby.

Flandre inched closer to my face and began licking my cheek, making me have goosebumps and a shiver down my spine.

(This must be a really bizarre scene for anyone seeing this happen, especially for Sakuya.)

As soon as she was done, she hugged my head and put her cheek next to mine. She said, "you're so delicious, Ken."

(It's a good thing I know what the intention for that sentence was. It's tough trying to deal with kids, including elders with child-like personalities.)

"Ken, who's that cat lady?" asked Flandre, pointing towards Chen who was standing and looked lost.

"That would be Chen, after we eat, do you want to play with her?" I asked.

Flandre nodded with inhuman frequency, making me smile and feel warm inside.

"But first I want you to make me a promise" I whispered to Flandre.

Flandre gasped with glee and responded, "what is it?!" with enthusiasm.

"Don't break her. No matter how much you may probably want to" I said, making Flandre confused.

"Why?"

"She's a grumpy person who needs someone like you to cheer her up"

"Okay, Ken. I promise."

I put down Flandre on the ground, before she looks at Chen, smiling, while Chen glares back angrily and scoffs at her.

"Hmph. I don't want to play with you" said Chen, before looking away and crossing her arms, pouting.

(That was one of the reactions I expected from Chen. Let's see how Flandre handles it.)

Flandre had no change in her emotion while she stepped closer and held out her hand.

Chen scratched her arm quickly before pouting again, making Flandre bleed on her forearm.

"I don't like you. Go away before I have to do that again" said Chen threateningly.

This made Flandre glare at her angrily before eying Chen in the eye, before she slowly scrunched up her hand. Just before it was balled into a fist, Flandre took a deep breath and relaxed her hand.

(Whew! I thought Flandre was really going to break Chen.)

"I'm not going to break you. I promised" said Flandre, making me facepalm.

(And there's the child-like ability to splurge the truth easily.)

"Oh really? You're going to break me? Like that will do anything" provoked Chen.

(Don't push it Chen. I warn you.)

There was an uneasy silence between the two, Flandre looked disheartened while Chen continued to look away pouting.

"Umm, Flandre. Can you bring me one of your toys that haven't been broken or anything?" I said, breaking the uneasy silence, and trying to break down Chen's cockiness.

"Okay Ken~!" sung Flandre before running away.

I waited until Flandre was out of sight, before saying, "what's the matter with you? Why can't you get along with her?"

"She's too happy, and she thinks she can be the boss of me" replied Chen coldly.

(Why you little smartass! All that Flandre wants is to be friends, she's just a little bit awkward in making friends.)

(I need to make my language simple enough for her.)

"Are you saying you want to be a baby and act like that?" I said, pointing out how Chen is pouting.

That struck Chen, as she finally stops disrespecting me and stops pouting, but continues to cross her arms.

"I am not!" protested Chen.

"I'm back~, what's wrong?!" sung Flandre, returning with a teddy bear, and a confused expression on her face.

(That was quick, now I just have to see how Chen reacts.)

"Flanny, would you like to share your toy?" I asked, setting the trap.

"Okay~! Patchy said sharing is fun!" cheered Flandre, holding out her teddy bear towards Chen.

Chen immediately snatches away the teddy bear and flies away.

"Hey give that back!" yelled Flandre, her voice was breaking up.

"Catch me if you can~!" sung Chen, taking delight like a bully.

(It would be nice to let Ran know that Chen is a bully.)

I followed the two as they chased each other around in the library. However, Chen was too fast for Flandre, curling up into a ball and disappearing into the labyrinth of the library. Flandre flew to me somberly while I was sitting on top of a bookcase. Her cheeks was laced with tear streams coming from her eye, while Flandre tried to wipe them away.

"Kenny~! She won't give it back" said Flandre, her voice broken while crying. "I really want to break her! Can I?"

"No. You promised. You and I are going to make her a better girl. Do you understand?" I said, patting her head.

"Yes, but I don't like her! She doesn't like sharing and...and she's mean to me!" cried Flandre, while her head was resting on my shoulders. Her hat fell off, revealing her messy yellow short hair.

(This may be the wrong time to ask her, but Chen needs a lesson.)

"Okay, listen to me" I said, stroking her hair while picking up the hat behind my back. "You need to be a good girl. You need to show her how someone should act in this mansion. That's why I want you to break that toy" I said, regretfully.

Flandre pulled back and looked at me while gripping my shoulders very tightly, showing displeasure. "No! That's the.....first toy I got from sister. I sleep with it every night. I don't want to break my toy!"

(Crap, what do I do? ....We could always sew it up.)

"If you break it, we can always fix it right? I can ask Meiling to fix it" I said.

"No~! I don't wanna!" whined Flandre.

(Ah, I guess there's no use. But what can I do? If I take it away from Chen, that's not really going to help the relationship between the two, even if it harbors anger.)

(But I guess I have no choice. I can't figure out another way to fix this.)

"There, there. We won't break your toy then. I'll help you get it back from her" I said, sighing.

"Kenny~! I want my toy back. I don't want to share with her if she's going to be mean like that!" said Flandre, slowly stifling her cries.

"I just said I'll help you get it back. You don't have to share with her, at least until she learns how to be nice" I said.

Flandre no longer held my shoulders and looked at my cheek. "Okay Kenny~, I'm thirsty again~!"

(It looks like its bleeding again.)

I wiped off the blood on my cheek with my middle and index finger on my left hand before holding it out towards Flandre.

"Here you go, so you don't have to lick my cheek" I said.

Flandre took my hand put my two fingers inside her mouth. It felt warm as her tongue lashed against my fingers, giving me a ticklish feeling.

(It's like when a dog licks your fist.)

Flandre continues to lick off the blood on my fingers. After that, she took them out and hugged me, licking off the rest of the blood on my cheek. After my cheek has been licked about 132 times, Flandre stopped and sat on my lap. "I like your blood, daddy."

This gave me a shock, as I opened my eyes wide-open.

(Daddy? ...do I really act like a father around her? I remember on Toujinstyle where there was a fad. It's where you adopt people, I think I remember adopting someone named Mistress Luna. She always loved boxes and acting cute in many ways, with a surprising love of violence. Maybe Flandre is like her.)

"Daddy?" I asked, trying to see if Flandre made a mistake.

"Kenny~, you act like a daddy. I wanna call you daddy!" said Flandre.

(Well, I'm not sure how people in the SDM are going to handle that, but I'll let that slide.)

"Okay. You can call me daddy. Here" I said, chuckling. I picked up Flandre off me before I sat her on my shoulders. I held her legs with one arm so she wouldn't fall. I heard her wings made a chime as I stood up.

Flandre swayed back and forth as she made me clumsily move dangerously close to the edge of the library.

"Daddy~, I'm going to fall off!" screamed Flandre, covering my eyes with her hands to steady herself.

"Wait, I can't see...Aah~!" I said, before falling off the bookcase, while me and Flandre screamed.

(Wait a second.)

I stopped myself in mid-air, while Flandre stopped covering my eyes.

(Oh yeah, I can fly. Do I feel stupid...)

"Sorry Daddy~" said Flandre, holding my cheeks now.

(Ow, that hurts.)

"It's okay. Now let's find that cat lady and get you that toy back!" I said, touching down on the floor.

"Okay~! I want my toy back!"

I began diligently looking around, already seeing Chen leaning and peeking at us while tightly holding the teddy bear to her chest.

I gestured for to come with my hand. She walked to me in defeat, already handing out the teddy bear.

"Here, take it!" scowled Chen, as I took it and gave it to Flandre. She caught it and held it tightly to her own chest.

"DINNER'S READY~!" echoed a voice in the library.

(Great, I haven't even ate yet and it's probably in the afternoon now.)

"Alright then, let's eat" I said, before looking at Chen. "And you behave!"

"Yay! I'm also hungry!" cheered Flandre.

"Hmph!" pouted Chen.

All three of us walked out of the library and soon we made it into the dining room. Flandre rested her teddy bear in between my head and her stomach, and her arms on top of my head. Chen grudgingly walked with us, still pouting and crossing her arms.

Everyone else was already seated at the dining table with the food in front of them. It appeared to be a red soup with tomatoes and noodles in it. Only Remilia, had a glass of scarlet liquid, which is probably blood. Everyone gave me a strange look as I seated Flandre down in her seat besides Meiling.

"Flandre, do you like Ken?" asked Meiling, while still looking at me strangely.

"Yep! He's been teaching me a lot of stuff, he got me back my toy from that mean cat lady, and he lets me drink his blood" said Flandre, candid.

(Yep, just like a father should, I don't know about the blood part though.)

I led Chen to her own seat near Sakuya at the edge of the table, she sat and ignored me, leaning back.

I sat next to Sakuya, while glaring at Chen.

"Alright. Now that we are all here. Let's eat!" I said, grabbing the spoon and fork in the bowl before helping myself to the noodles, slurping them up.

The noodles had a fragile-like texture as it tasted familiar in my mouth.

(This tastes familiar. Where have I ate this before? It's pretty good I know that.)

However, everyone continue to stare at me, before uneasily helping themselves to the meal. Chen still wasn't eating her soup.

(Do you people know how uncomfortable it is for me to have you girls stare at me while I try to eat like a normal person?)

"Chen, why are you not eating?" I asked.

"I'm not hungry. I don't want to eat!" said Chen, looking away.

"Are you sure about that?" I said, adding an ominous air to my voice. "I'm pretty sure felines don't like water from what I heard."

(Thank you, Tom and Jerry!)

Chen jumped and immediately dug into her soup, hurrying to eat it all by tipping the bowl to her mouth.

"So, who made this?" I asked.

"I did. I found a recipe from the outside world and I thought I should try it" said Sakuya, smiling.

"Hmm~, it does taste familiar. No wonder, I thought you were low on ingredients" I said, confused in how she made this rich soup, seeing celery float in it.

"I visited Kourindou while you were in the library. I was with my lady Remilia, who was delighted in my choosing of ingredients" replied Sakuya.

(Naw, Remilia likes everything scarlet.)

(That was pretty quick on how you got the ingredients so fast, you stop abusing time-stop so much.)

"Oh, okay" I said before helping myself to another spoonful of soup.

"By the way, Ken, what happened to your cheek?" asked Patchy.

"I'm not even going to answer that" I said, not wanting to explain.

We all uneasily ate as people soon got done with their soup and left the table. First it was Meiling, then Flandre, but she stayed at the table waiting for me. Soon, Patchy, Koakuma, Chen, Sakuya, and Remilia got done as well. Sakuya stayed after to clean the table. I got done last, trying to figure out the name of this soup. Chen also stayed at the table, frowning as usual.

(Why do I think its good that Flandre didn't mention daddy at the table? The table was uneasily quiet for some reason, I have no idea why.)

"Hey Flanny, remember what I taught you before about massaging?" I asked, as soon as Sakuya left the dining room.

Flandre beamed and nodded, while getting off her chair.

"Well, I think our friend needs one. Would you like to do it?" I asked.

Flandre continued to nod while looking at Chen.

"Chen, stand up and go there" I ordered, pointing at a spot on the floor.

Chen grudgingly did so and glared at me.

"Now wh---NYAH~!" shrieked Chen, while her breasts were being groped by Flandre from behind.

(Well that was fast, if I 'teach' her more, she might end up becoming a serial rapist. Which I probably don't want to happen.)

"Wh-what are you doing to me?" panicked Chen, blushing and holding her own breasts.

"Does it feel good?" innocently asked Flandre, smirking, while resisting Chen's hands by continuing to do it.

(She has the face of the serial rapist. And it's doing a good job in the wood-growing department as well.)

Chen's hands soon fell weak, and dropped in the air lifeless. Chen blushed even more and grew a drunken smile. "Mmm...Mm..it feels go-" said Chen before falling unconscious, tilting her head down. She would have fell to the ground if Flandre didn't catch her.

(Uh crap....I need an excuse for this one. Damn it Star Wars, why do you have to be in my head now of all times!?)

"Daddy, why is she like this?" asked Flandre, confused.

"Umm~, well...sometimes massaging that area is too strong for the person to handle. Yeah, she couldn't handle it because it was so relaxing that she fell unconscious" I said, doubting my reasoning.

"Oh, does this mean I am good at massaging!?" said Flandre, taking out her hands off of Chen, letting her fall to the ground. Flandre looked at her hands and became amazed.

"Yes, you are one of the few I know who are...extremely talented at massaging."

(The massaging force is strong with this one. She better not fall to the dark....er..rape side.)

(I am more perverted than I think. I better watch out for myself. I don't want to get in trouble for teaching lolicons how to grope people.)

"However, don't use this ability lightly. For using it too much will soon lose its properties of...feeling good" I explained, trying to prevent Flandre to do it too much. "You need to have my permission first before you do that. Okay?"

(It's like explaining to kids how to use drugs!)

"Okay Daddy~! Whatever you say~! What do we do with her?" asked Flandre, bending down, while the prisms on her wings chime.

"I think we should take her to my room, we can't just leave her here. That wouldn't be nice right? We should show her that YOU care for her no matter how badly you are being treated by her!" I said, making Flandre jump in glee and jubilation.

"That sounds good daddy~! I wanna carry her~!" said Chen enthusiastically, before picking up Chen off the floor and carrying her over the shoulder with an evil smirk.

(Flandre, you could be a potential lustful rapist. I should hide that potential.)

"Okay if you insist! Follow me to my room" I said.

I led Flandre carrying Chen into my room, where my bed was made.

We laid Chen onto my bed, her head on the pillow, as I put the scarlet covers over her. I sat next to her while Flandre stood on the floor of my barely furnished room.

"It still hurts"

I glanced at Flandre who made that confusing comment when she was holding her arm, where Chen scratched her. The scratches have already gone away and became scars, and the blood that was on the arm dried.

(I don't understand, your arm seems to be healed up. Damn vampire regenerative powers.)

"But you told me to be nice and not to break her even if I got really mad" said Flandre, looking at her injury. "Are you proud of me?"

I smiled and stood up, before patting her head. "If you keep being nice to everyone and not break people, I think everyone would be proud of you. As of now, yes, I am proud of you."

(One step towards teaching Flandre how to be a better person.)

"Thank you, Kenny!" said Flandre, giggling at me patting her hair, while I looked up at the ceiling and pondered.

(This day...changed how I view Flandre. I really thought she was a power-crazy lunatic, but looking at her now, she can be sweet and gentle, if taught the right way.)

(Those Touhou fans are wrong, how people view Flandre is wrong. I know that there are people who 'love' her, but they still label her as insane.)

(It's like how people in the human village view Remilia as the devil, and as a result, they think Sakuya is out to get them. They think Sakuya has a fool-proof facade of not wanting to have any business with them. That is wrong, Sakuya is just really loyal to Remilia.)

(That's just like Touhou fans and Flandre, Flandre is like the odd one out. That's like killing a mockingbird, to quote a good book I read. They are innocent, yet rumors cloud that.)

(I'm a touhou fan myself but....fanon proves everything wrong. Why didn't I listen to canon? Fanon is just there for humor, but its usually never the truth. Except in some cases, especially Sakuya. But I bet touhou fans would be surprised to see their beloved innocent Chen to actually just be a mischievous kid.)

(That's why you gotta play the games or read the official works more. Or, in my case, get to know the actual people more. Some theories may be right, and some are wrong, but that doesn't stop people from making up ridiculous stories. They don't even know if Gensokyo exists, which it does. People don't know that Yukari spirited me away to here, and that left a clean scene.)

(In truth, sometimes Touhou fans that only believe in fanon are just as idiotic and weird as a Twilight-retarded person. Even if it's very hard to resist the fact that Remilia can easily crush Edward or one of those weird sparkly vampires.)

(If I ever get back on ToujinStyle again, I should delete my story and make a new one called "Crossing the Border" instead of "Crossing Over the Border." And tell my true experiences without the members knowing it's actually true, and keep up a facade to not make me look like a lunatic to them.)

(Yeah, I should totally do that.)

(If I did show proof to them that it does exist, they would turn into a cult and therefore be branded as insane to society. I really don't want that to happen. Then again, I could say it's just cosplay with fancy photoshop skills.)

(Geez, what do I do now? All this thinking is making me want to turn my mind away from this.)

I looked down at Flandre and smiled.

"Hey Flandre, I think you should take a nap now" I said.

(All I want to do is read now. I always wondered what that Wikipedia book is actually.)

"But you're so much fun~" whined Flandre, looking up at me.

"Well, everyone needs a rest from time to time. You did a lot today, so you should probably take a nap.

"Okay~. I'm still thirsty" said Flandre, pointing at my cheek.

(It hasn't stopped bleeding yet? Damn.)

I crouched down to Flandre's level, waiting for to clean off the blood.

(Strange, I don't feel anything on my cheek though.)

Instead of licking my face, Flandre kissed me on the cheek before drawing away, making me blush a little.

"Got you~" sung Flandre before giggling. After a few seconds, she yawned and outstretched her arms, while still holding the teddy bear in one hand.

(Great. Now you got me feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. I feel so fuzzy-wuzzy.)

"Ah, you trickster! Here I come!" I bellowed.

(I sound like a freaking pedophile.)

I picked up Flandre and swung her around in the air, making her scream and laugh at the same time.

"Don't let go! Don't let go!" screamed Flandre.

"Oh ho ho, I can't promise that!" I responded, before throwing her up in the air. She flailed around in the air as she screamed loudly.

When she descended, I caught her and continued to swing her around, saying "Got you~!"

"Daddy~! You're so mean~!" yelled Flandre, her prisms chiming along with her happily.

Flandre hung on to my forearms and kept on laughing. She clung on to me the best she could while her eyes were closed.

(We both know this moment can't last forever.)

After about twenty seconds, I stopped swinging her around and laid her on the bed next to Chen. Her head was on the pillow, her eyes were open, and her hands no longer held the toy.

Flandre sat up on the bed and held out her arms, motioning for me to come hug her again. Out the corner of my eye, I noticed that the teddy bear was against a wall, abandoned, the head slightly cocked to the left.

(Oh, did Flandre drop that while I threw her up? Did Flandre also forget her hat mop hat somewhere? Because she doesn't seem to be wearing it right now.)

I walked over to the wall before picking up the teddy bear and then I walked back to the bed. I gave Flandre what she wanted and hugged her, before laying her against the pillow and putting the covers over her. I nestled the teddy bear next to her head while Flandre cuddled it, yawning.

I began to walk away from her, going to read the wikipedia book in the library.

"Wait!"

Before I had left the room, Flandre yelled, I walked back to her and said, "Yes?"

"Give me a good-night kiss!" said Flandre, touching her left cheek with her finger, the rest of the hand and arm covered by the scarlet covers.

"Haha, alright" I said, before bending down to kiss her cheek. It was soft and smooth, while Flandre giggled.

"Kiss my toy a good-night!"

"Haha, okay."

I went from Flandre's cheek to the head of the small teddy bear, feeling its manufactured fur.

(This must be a souvenir from the outside world.)

"Kiss the cat lady a good-night too!" said Flandre.

(Okay, that's getting a little ridiculous.)

I walked to the other side of the bed and kissed Chen's cheek, feeling a rough texture, making her blush.

"...Ranny.." murmured Chen in her sleep.

"Daddy, I think she misses her mommy" said Flandre, as I lifted my mouth from them.

"I think she does, Flandre. I think she does" I replied. "She's also a heavy sleeper."

Flandre giggled at the comment I made while I closed the curtains on the one window I have in my room, making the room dark.

"Good night" I said.

"Good-night Daddy" said Flandre, before closing her eyes and cuddling the teddy bear even more.

I left the room and shut its door gently. When I began to turn around to walk down the hallway, Sakuya was there, her hands were on her chest, catching me off guard.

(Holy...)

"Ken. You're so sweet" said Sakuya, her hands still on her chest.

"Thank you Sakuya" I said, smiling at her, and regaining my composure.

"The day is not even over and yet you already turned into a father figure to her. It's so strange that you were able to tame her in a matter of days. I'm impressed. It took me a while before Flandre got comfortable with me being in the same room as her. At the time, she threatened to kill me before time moved on. I see her more than Remilia does, I used to have to deliver her meals personally in her own room. I really wish Remilia would at least spend as much time as you do with her, especially since she's part of her family" said Sakuya.

(She's right. Flandre seems to look up to me now, and only in a matter of days did I befriend her. The only bad thing was that I already taught Flandre how to grope people. TAKE THAT FANBOYS!)

Secretly jubilant, I calmly said, "So you saw us in my room?"

Sakuya nodded and said, "I heard a scream from your room while I was cleaning. I came to see what it was, only to see you swinging her around, she was really happy. It's like you're really her father. At least how a father should act."

(Gosh, now I feel very old even when I'm only 16.)

"Thanks for making me feel old" I joked.

"No problem. Would you like to help me clean the mansion?"

"I'm too young for that"

"Are you saying I'm old?"

"Did I say that?"

"No"

"Okay then. You're not old then."

"Umm~, you're confusing me. I'm just going to go back to cleaning. Bye Ken~!"

(How much more simple could I get from that?)

Sakuya disappeared, making me grin before I continued to walk to the library in the mansion.

(Abusing stopping time my ass!)

When I made it to the library, I was determined in trying to find the Wikipedia book.

(I don't need help! I can find it all on my own without the librarian's help!)

**-TimeSkip-**

(Damn it! Are these books not organized?!)

After about I measured many hours, I lost hope in trying to find the Wikipedia book, eluding my curiosity somewhere in the library.

(I give up, time to ask Patchy for help.)

I retraced my steps to get me out of the labyrinth the shelves created, making it back towards where I started when I realized something.

(Well, trying to find the book has numbed my brain down. Why did I waste time by walking when I could have just flew? Now even the common sense is eluding me.)

I walked straight into the center of the library where Patchy was, reading her yaoi as usual while unusually slumping in her chair.

(Well you sit all the time, I'm not surprised to see you slumping in the chair.

I was standing close to her and she didn't even notice me.

(Somebody must be really engrossed in their disgusting story! Better snap her out of it.)

"HEY PATCHY!" I yelled, echoing in the library.

Patchy jumped out of her seat as her book went flying in the air, landing on Patchy's head. Patchy slowly stood up and glared at me, while the book is still balanced on her head.

"DON'T YELL IN THE LIBRARY!" yelled back Patchy, her voice unusually loud. "Mukyu!"

"YOU JUST YELLED IN THE LIBRARY!"

"THAT'S BECAUSE YOU MADE ME!"

"WHAT KIND OF REASON IS THAT?!"

"A GOOD ONE! DON'T ARGUE WITH ME! MUKYU!" Patchy took some deep breaths, before saying, "ok, what do you want?"

(Logic fail.)

"Where's the Wikipedia book?" I asked. "I can't find it."

"That book is no longer here in the library."

"Why?"

"So you assume that Adolf Hitler declared war on China, and lead an army of Koreans to attack them in the 12th century?"

"Did you burn it?"

"No. I don't burn books. That's disgraceful to treat an accumulation of words like that"

(Even if it's completely wrong?)

"What did you do to it?"

"I had Koakuma give it away to the ice fairy."

(Oh good lord. Time for a 40k quote.)

"Blessed is the mind too small...for doubt" I quoted.

"Foolish are those who fear nothing, yet claim to know everything."

(Was that another quote? Let's see how much you know. I know a few more from playing Dawn of War on my computer when I was ten years old.)

"Innocence proves nothing."

"A suspicious mind is a healthy mind."

"An open mind is like a fortress with its gates unbarred and unguarded."

"Knowledge is power. Hide it well."

(Yeah it's hidden well especially since its so disorganized here. Unless it's in an order I don't understand.)

(How do you know all these quotes? Are you actually a NEET?)

"Where do you get all these quotes?" I asked, fresh out of quotes.

"To Question is to doubt."

"SHUT UP!"

Suddenly, a washtub crashed right next to me before sliding next to Patchy, making me jump in shock and move back ten paces, then I relaxed.

(Oh, if its that one lame overused joke from the Sukima stories I read in the Touhou Project Fanfiction section, I swear I'm going to sue.)

"Koakuma, if that's you who did that, stop doing it" I said, not wanting to get hit suddenly on the head by a washtub.

"THEN STOP YELLING IN THE LIBRARY!" yelled Koakuma, echoing in the library, atop one of the shelves with washtubs right next to her.

"YOU JUST DID!" I yelled back.

"NO I WASN'T!" denied Koakuma, making me facepalm and shake my head.

"STOP THROWING WASHTUBS!"

"THEN STOP YELLING!"

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP~! MUKYU!" repeated Patchy loudly, her hands were on her ears and her eyes closed, before sneezing.

(I think the asthma you have right now is so bad you aren't getting enough blood to your head.)

"My, you have quite the vocabulary" said a voice behind me.

I made a 360 to see Ran and Meiling who were behind me. Ran was carrying a bag by her side.

"I can hear you people all the way from the gate" remarked Meiling, before walking out of the library.

(Maybe it's because the windows aren't even repaired yet? Damn useless maids.)

"Oh Ran, I forgot it's evening now. I'll go yell for Chen!"

"No wait-"

"CHENNNNNNNNNNNN~! Ran is here~!" I yelled, making the three in the library cover their ears.

(Might as well do one of the annoying memes.)

I heard a faint "Ranny~!" before hearing audible steps.

"Why did you call for her?" asked Ran.

"Aren't you going to show me the way to where your mistress lives?"

"Yeah, about that" said Ran uneasily.

**Third POV**

Meanwhile, in Yukari's home, there are three people in a room. Two of them were enjoying alcohol while one of them was silently meditating. Both of them were sipping their wine in little cups.

Stacks of Papa Johns boxes surround the pink-haired one, as her stomach doesn't show any sign of plumpness.

"Hey~, Youmu, come over heer and let meh give yoos a big sloppy kiss~" said the pink-haired girl with drunkenly behavior.

"Mistress Yuyuko please! You are drunk! Is the strange food you have eaten is not enough for you?" whined Youmu, interrupted in her meditating.

"Come onnnnn~! Give Yuyu a chan-cey!" said Yukari, also drunk, with swinging her head around and around in the air.

"Well! Ima hava cum ova heer and doo its myseal" said Yuyuko, making a whimsical smile, before standing up, and walking to Youmu in a daze slowly.

Youmu quickly stood up and faced her mistress, walking to her in a drunken daze.

"Mistress Yuyuko, please stop!" yelled Youmu, blushing red.

"Aww, look what you have dun Yuyu~" slurred Yukari.

Suddenly, Yuyuko tripped with her own feet and fell towards Youmu, making her fall in the process. Yuyuko was on top of Youmu while her head was next to her head.

"Ah~! There yoos argh!" slurred Yuyuko, before beginning to lash Youmu's ear with her tongue, probably thinking he's kissing Youmu.

"Yuyuko~!" yelled Youmu, blushing red. "Stop!"

"My, Youmu, yoos lips er chapped, I'll just have to lick em until they arf knife and weth!" slurred Yuyuko, spitting inside her ear, before wiping it all over in her ear with her tongue.

"Stop! That's my ear!" said Youmu, struggling to get her mistress's head off without using force.

Yukari suddenly started laughing out loud, before spilling her drink on her clothes.

"I spill my drink!" declared Yukari out loud before laughing again.

Yuyuko stopped licking Youmu in the ear and struggled to stand up. Youmu quickly crawled back towards a wall before cleaning her ear with her dress.

"Waz soul funneh?" asked Yuyuko before walking to Yukari in a drunken manner.

"I forget to assssk Ranny to lick mah teeth of glory~! I thunk mits funneh! Cum lick em tee-tee-teethfe Yuyu!" said Yukari, pointing in the air.

Yuyuko looked up with her eyes closed and her tongue out in the open, before leaping to the air, only to come down on Yuyuko. Yuyuko is now on top of Yukari.

"Goos~! Nowz clean those teeth~!" said Yukari, opening her mouth.

"Ass yoos wishes!" said Yuyuko, before beginning to put her tongue inside Yukari's mouth. Her tongue lashed against Yukari's.

"Oh, if itz a battell yoos want, itz ones yoos get!" said Yukari.

Yuyuko lifted her head before both Yuyuko and Yukari stuck out their tongues in air, they begin to lash at each other with their tongues, when in reality they are french-kissing, even their eyes are closed. They were both blushing, due to the alcohol and not love.

"Mistress Yuyuko! Stop what you are doing! Don't you know you are drunk!?" yelled Youmu, trying to get some sense into Yuyuko. Youmu is sitting against the wall in the fetal position.

They both stop french-kissing as Yuyuko gets up, while Yukari lays down on the floor.

"Youmoo~! I half half of mah mine to slap yoos! But since yoos want mah attensh-un soo muchs, I'll give yoos sum. Punishment Time~!" said Yuyuko, making a whimsical smile before walking towards Youmu.

"Wh-What are you doing?" fearfully asked Youmu, frozen in place.

Yuyuko ignores her, soon next to Youmu. She sat in between Youmu's legs and her chest as Yuyuko put her legs behind Youmu's chest, rendering her immobile.

"Hahah~!, now yoos can't escapade!" said Yuyuko, before opening her mouth.

Youmu moves her head frantically trying to dodge her Yuyuko's lips, but it was too late, as Yuyuko begins to kiss Youmu passionately on the lips.

Soon, Yuyuko moves her hands inside Youmu's dress, groping her breasts while Yuyuko closed her eyes.

Youmu on the other hand was not engrossed in this as her eyes were wide-open, but soon they close after a few more moments of kissing. She tried to pull off Yuyuko and made noises, but stopped struggling as she soon begins to kiss her back, while Youmu blushed red. Their tongues were beginning to touch as Youmu held Yuyuko towards her own head.

"Hng~!"

Something was continually rising in Yuyuko's throat as it slowly disappeared into the head.

"BLERGH~!"

Yuyuko vomited into Youmu's mouth while continuing to kiss her, some of the yellow deformed vomit fell to Youmu's dress.

Youmu did not seem to enjoy that before she was forced to swallow the disgusting vomit mass, and soon she fell unconscious, while Yuyuko still kisses her and gropes her breasts as well.

"Argh~! Yoos know I dun lick pees pleasure! Ya know what?! Screw yoos alls, Ima going to Taco Bell!" said Yukari, before falling unconscious as well.

**Ken's POV**

So what you are saying is that they are having a girl's night?" I asked.

"I really hope they don't do something foolish" said Ran, disgusted.

(Oh what's the worst that could happen?)

"So now what? I don't think I can meet someone if she's drunk" I said.

"We're going to have to wait until tomorrow night, when my mistress is cured of her drunken behavior" replied Ran.

"Well, I guess you can't have your Chen back then till tomorrow" I said, making Ran grumble for a bit, then she dropped her bag on the floor.

"What's the bag for?" I asked, curious of its contents.

"A fresh change of clothes for Chen" said Ran. "I can't take her back home today anyway, I don't want drunken masters influencing my shikigami."

"RANNY~!" shrieked a voice before impending footsteps were heard.

It was Chen, who ran towards Ran and jumped in the air to hug her, making Ran take a few steps back.

"I MISSED YOU!" yelled Chen.

"I missed you too Chen" replied Ran. "We are in the library, please keep your voice down."

"Okay Ran~! What's in the bag?" asked Chen curiously.

I heard Ran gulp, while her tears streamed down her face.

"Why are you crying Ran? What's wrong?" asked Chen, becoming serious.

"Whats in the bag is a fresh pair of clothes for you Chen" said Ran.

"What? Why? Can we go home now?"

"Because...I'm going to have to leave soon after I give you a bath. You are going to spend the night here."

"No! I wanna stay with you!"

"I'm sorry, but I can't have you around when my Mistress is drunken. She's dangerous when she's like that" warned Ran.

(I hardly doubt she's dangerous at all if she's drunk.)

"But Ran~!" whined Chen.

"I'll talk to you about it when you go take your BATH!" said Ran.

Soon, Chen escaped out of Ran's grasp and tried to run away. But soon she was frozen when she meet Sakuya at the entrance, which surprised me as well. Chen was shivering, as she had no way out.

"I heard more yelling and screaming. Is there a problem?" asked Sakuya, before looking down at Chen, making her scared and backing up slowly.

I walked up to Chen and picked her up by her armpits, while Chen struggled and threw her fists and legs in the air, making a tantrum.

"LET ME GO! LET ME GO!" yelled Chen.

"Come on. I'll show you where the bathroom is. Sakuya will show you how to use the bathtub" I said, while Sakuya bowed towards Ran.

"Lead the way" said Ran, picking up the bag.

Ran followed me and Sakuya, while I was holding Chen, who was still struggling. On our way, we saw Remilia who sneered at Chen, making a comment that involved charisma and Chen.

Soon we were at the bathroom beside my room. I opened the door as Sakuya went in. Ran thanked me and followed Sakuya into the bathroom.

I soon heard the faucet running as I still held Chen when I entered the restroom.

"Sakuya, get ready to hold her" I said. "I'm going to let go of her."

Ran closed the door behind us, saying, "Oh don't worry about it."

Seeing how Ran took this nonchalantly, I figured there was nothing to worry about if Ran was in the same room. So I dropped her onto the floor, Chen immediately dove for the door once her feet touched the ground, but she didn't know that Ran was going to be in the way. So she froze in place as Ran motioned for me to get out of the room. I did so, I opened the door the slightest as I can that can fit me through, not allowing Chen to escape.

I eavesdropped on the door, hearing muffled voices and a struggle. Then I heard a splash of water, followed by two sighs.

I heard the doorknob turn, so I immediately backed off and leaned against my door. Sakuya came out, with two new claw marks on her arms, while still smiling. She closed the door behind her as soon as she was out.

"How can you smile after you just been hurt?" I asked, pointing at her bleeding lacerations.

"Courtesy. A maid needs to know this in order to stay respectful to the visitor. I'll be downstairs if you're going to be looking for me. I must bandage my arms before I lose any blood" said Sakuya before disappearing.

(Boy would I love to get my hands on that time stopping power.)

I waited a while before I heard the doorknob twist again, while I was pondering about what happened recently.

The door opened and Ran came out first, holding the bag with one hand, and the other holding Chen's hand. Chen is now wearing orange and white plaid pajamas. Ran seemed to have a little nosebleed.

"Is there anywhere Chen could sleep for the night?" asked Ran.

I nodded while I opened my own door, where Flandre was still sleeping on my bed, cuddling the teddy bear. I went in the room and opened the curtains, letting the moonlight shine through.

Ran and Chen were already at the bed, while Ran stopped holding her hand.

"Lay on the bed, Chen" said Ran.

Chen shook her head, staring at Flandre cuddling the teddy bear.

"Chen~" warned Ran ominously, making Chen lay on the bed in defeat.

Ran began to walk away from out, towards the door.

(What? You're going to leave her just like that?)

(I suspect that she looks up to you as a mother, don't leave her hanging!)

"Wait!" I said, making Ran stop in her tracks.

Ran was tearing up, as she somberly turned around and faced me. "Yes?" squeaked Ran.

"Is this how you treat her when you leave her? At least kiss her good-night or something" I said, seeing Chen stare at me wide-eyed.

Ran hesitated, before she walked over to Chen and kissed her forehead. "Good night" said Ran gently before leaving the room quickly, as her tails continued to freeze in the air while she was soon out of sight.

I walked up to Chen and also kissed her on the forehead before laying her head on a pillow and putting the covers over her. "Good night" I also said gently, making Chen blush a little bit.

"Thank you" squeaked Chen before she closed her eyes and cuddled the pillow.

I smiled before I yawned, stretching my arms in the air, and feeling more lethargic.

(Come to think about it. I'm tired as well. But I still need to watch over them.)

(Oh, why don't I do this?)

I walked out of the room and went into Sakuya's room, grabbed a pillow, and went back into my room. I plopped down a pillow on the floor and began to lay down on it, about to sleep with no covers on.

(At the sacrifice of comfort, there's little to no risk that I'm going to get kicked out of this mansion.)

I closed my eyes and began to fall asleep.

(What a long day.)


	45. Supremacy Chapter 5

**Bloody Preparation**

**Third POV**  
In the middle of night, there is a quiet and dark mansion next to the Misty Lake. Each and every resident of that mansion is asleep. Remilia is in her bed, sleeping with her wings twitching, dreaming of splashing around in the pool under the bright sun. A wet stain appeared on Remilia's bed and her clothes. Meiling was also sleeping with her mouth drooling, dreaming of ice cream that came to her in buckets. Patchouli slept with a manga on top of her face, also drooling. She is at the moment dreaming of Death Note where L proposes to Patchouli herself. Koakuma is still up at night, organizing the library while devising ways to attack people with her washtubs. Chen dreamed contently, where she constantly chased a mouse that was carrying a basket in one hand, and a mini glowing pagoda in the other. Flandre tossed and turned in her sleep, luckily not waking up Chen in the process, even if Flandre kicked her a few times in the back. Flandre is having a nightmare, where she was constantly under attack by steamrollers falling to the ground, with a Sakuya on top of each one, each screaming "WRY~!" Sakuya was sleeping happily, she dreamed about raining down steamrollers from the sky on top of a yellow cloud. Sakuya smiled evilly while even gloating quietly in her sleep, while raining down yellow steamrollers on the hapless people on the ground. Finally, Ken was having a very happy dream. He is busy beating up Edward Cullen from Twilight, while talking about how superior the SDM's residents are to the vampires in Twilight. Ken even punched in the air a few times, while in the dream, beating up Edward Cullen easily.

Everyone was asleep having a good dream except for Koakuma and Flandre. Koakuma was of course awake, while Flandre was having a nightmare.

Suddenly, Flandre's stomach was tucked in as her mouth suddenly opened up. She was sweating cold drops as her body seemed to be bounded to the bed, her legs no longer kicking. Her head moved around vigorously, her eyes were still closed.

Then, Flandre sat up, hyperventilating while her eyes were wide-open. Her body returned to normal, while Flandre breathed in rapidly. She looked at her body, glancing over it while lifting her arms.

The room was almost in complete darkness, except for the moonlight somewhat illuminating the room through a window. Flandre could see perfectly in this, while looking at the ceiling in fear for a second.

Her legs began to turn, as Flandre began to get off the bed with a light red blanket covering her. When she got off, her toes began to squeeze around like a pig, stretching her feet. She glanced around in the room before seeing Ken on the floor, sleeping.

She walked over slowly to Ken while occasionally glancing up to the ceiling, while she constantly shook throughout the seemingly long journey.

Finally, Flandre made it to Ken, she made herself comfortable while laying beside Ken, putting a blanket above both Ken and Flandre.

Flandre buried her face into Ken's chest before peeking into the ceiling one last time. She snuggled up to Ken without saying a word and went back to sleep. All while Ken doesn't even notice, the only thing he does notice is hitting Edward with a sledgehammer, all the while gloating softly.

It is now morning as almost everyone is up and about. Koakuma is currently taking a snooze in the library beside a bookcase due to exhaustion. She is leaning over a washtub where she drools, making a puddle of saliva. Remilia is currently being tended to by Sakuya, already in her french maid outfit, trying to get her mistress off the messy bed. Remilia scratches her eyes with her hands, as she swept off the blanket, then fell back to the bed with her eyes closed. Sakuya protests to this, and begs her mistress to get up, gently nudging her in the process. Meiling, in her green and yellow Chinese pajamas, is watering the plants with a flowerpot, while taking out weeds at the same time. She takes delight in this as she smiled, while bending down to the plant's level. Patchy is walking down one of the winding hallways, holding the manga. She wears the same outfit as she always wore, only with her hair messy and the stunning lack of a hat. Suddenly, she turns her head to the left while lowering her manga. Her hair stood up on ends as she sneezes a couple of times while holding her chest to the floor. She sniffles while continuing to walk down the hallway, back to reading her manga and her hair going back down. Even the fairy maids were busy cleaning the interior of the mansion as they dusted and swept. Some of them were in the kitchen, cooking up eggs sunny-side up. The grease crackled off the eggs as the maids swept them off the skillet to the plates, hurrying to spray cooking oil to the skillet and begin cooking once more. Ken taught them how to use modern contemporaries more efficiently in the past, and they seem to be good at the job. There was an array of white plates on the counter, laden with silverware, and a helping of steaming white rice colored with soy sauce. It was a normal day for the residents of the SDM.

Ken, Flandre, Koakuma, and Chen are the only ones who are asleep.

Ken, however, seems to have awakened as he put his hands to his closed eyes and scratched them groggily.

Then he stretched his arms into the air, not noticing the soft and red blanket on him.

**Ken's POV**  
"YUARGH~!" I yawned, stretching my arms in the air.

(That was the best dream ever. Never have I beat up a sparkly vampire with a sledgehammer and felt so satisfied in the end.)

(Eh?)

I looked down with my eyes half-closed, I noticed a red blanket on top of my legs as I scratched my head. I saw a giant lump in the blanket next to me.

(What is that? And where did his blanket come from?)

I quickly took off the blanket to reveal Flandre, sleeping in the fetal position.

(Flandre? Must of had a nightmare.)

I smelt an odor of food coming from downstairs as I stood up, stretching my limbs.

(Smells delicious. Time to wake them up.)

I first walked over to Chen and nudged her, trying to wake her up.

"Hey Chen~, time to wake-"

I now have claw lacerations on my forearms. Drawing back my arms, I looked immediately surprised at Chen, who appears to have caught something.

(....I'll forgive you this time. But I swear....)

"GOT YOU!" said Chen out loud happily, before opening her eyes.

(Then again, it was probably a dream.)

Chen looked straight at my arms, and began to shake in fear. The lacerations began to bleed out, but I ignored it, despite the sting.

"Don't worry about it. It's nothing" I said, trying to comfort her.

(I feel sorry for Ran if this happens to her all the time.)

"I-I'm sorry!" shouted Chen, before relaxing. "I thought you were a mouse."

(And thus increasing the stereotype that cats like to eat mice, even if its true. Even Tom and Jerry made it really obvious.)

"Dream?" I asked.

Chen nodded, before sitting up in the bed, scratching her eyes with her hands.

Flandre yawned, becoming sprawled out on the floor, before sitting up.

"I'm hungry~" announced Flandre, patting a spot right next to her, as if I was still there.

"Daddy?" said Flandre, confused, before looking around. She spotted me and walked up to me, while holding something behind her back, as if she was trying to keep something out of sight from Chen.

Flandre pulled Ken's arms down and began to lick off the blood on both arms. After about a minute, she was done, while leaving my arms cool and wet.

"Thank you~" said Flandre before sniffing the air. "Food! I'm hungry now~"

(You just drank blood, wow.)

Chen scratched her head, before patting the top of her head. She pats it again, and begins to panic.

"W-W-Where's my hat?!" panicked Chen, frantically looking around, her ears perked up.

I heard a soft laughter from Flandre, who does seem to look suspicious.

I glanced behind her back, seeing Chen's hat held by Flandre.

Chen looked straight at Flandre and pointed shakily. "You! Where's my hat?!"

Flandre smiled, and put on Chen's hat in a stylish way, lining the hat's edge with her fingers.

"Ooh, it fits! You have to come catch me first!" said Flandre, before running away.

Chen immediately got out of bed and chased Flandre through the hallway. "GIVE ME BACK MY HAT~!"

I heard laughter in response while I just stood there, fazed by what just happened.

(Why was Flandre.....Ohh~. Payback's a bitch, isn't it Chen?)

(But I still don't get the part why Chen wants her hat back so badly. It's like Touhou characters can't live without their hat at all. Flandre is doing just fine.)

I shook my head and sighed, before leaving the room and walking down on the hallway, following the luring scent of food.

Soon, I made it downstairs, and saw Chen chasing Flandre around the dining table, where Remilia, Sakuya, Meiling, and Patchy was seated. There was a plate of sunny-side up eggs, a helping of rice, and silverware for each chair. The yolks on the eggs seem to not have set yet, but nonetheless is still cooked, as it looked pinkish.

"Give me back my hat!" yelled Chen, constantly chasing Flandre around the table with her arms outstretched. She seems to be crying as well.

After they made another pass around the table, I quickly seated myself and grabbed my silverware. The residents seated at the table seem to be doing nothing, but focusing on eating their food.

"Why aren't you girls doing anything about this?" I asked, staring at Flandre being chased by Chen.

"It's simply due to the fact that it's nostalgic. Koakuma used to do this all the time to me when she was disobedient. Nothing like a magical conditioning that keeps the succubus from disobeying my direct orders" reflected Patchy, while the others nodded.

"The maids have done something good for once. They can cook well" commented Sakuya with her mouth full.

(For a maid, you don't sound like you are versed in manners. I could barely understand that. Plus, the eggs haven't even set yet, but its pinkish so its okay.)

"Well, that makes it easier for the both of us" I said, before eying the two running around the table. "You two, sit down and eat. Flandre, give the hat back to Chen."

"Fine~" whined Flandre in defeat, before throwing it back towards Chen, who panicked and caught it as if her life depended on it. Both girls went obediently to their seats and began eating.

After Meiling was done eating her food, she immediately went back outside the mansion, in her Chinese pajamas. She left her plate licked clean at the table, exactly like a poor Chinese girl trying to live in the hovels of Hong Kong on Temple Street. She ate her meal quickly as if it was Assorted Noodle in a bowl, the only food you could have, even if it did have shit in the pig colon of the Assorted Noodle. A fairy maid came to pick up her plate and silverware, while almost clumsily falling down on the way towards the kitchen.

Remilia and Sakuya soon finished as well, as Sakuya led Remilia back upstairs. They didn't lick their plates clean like Meiling did, but they certainly eaten every grain of rice on the plate, like a man who lost his job, desperately gobbling up a bowl of BBQ Pork given from the same girl who gobbled up a bowl of shit-infested Assorted Noodle. The fairy maids came to pick up the dishes left by the two.

Patchouli finished eating as well, but left a few grains of rice. She said, "Ken, I have something to show you. I am extremely proud of it. I'll wait until you are done eating" before reading her manga at the table.

(If it's a gundam suit, I'm going to.....that would actually be cool.)

I became intrigued by what Patchy said as I finished eating all the rice on my plate, but haven't even touched the egg yet.

Soon, Flandre and Chen finished their meal as well. Chen got up from the table and tried to leave when I said, "where do you think you are going?"

Chen sighed in defeat and sat back at the table, crossing her arms. Flandre stuck out her tongue at her.

When I finished, Patchy got up and said, "okay. You're done. Follow me to the library."

"Come on, girls" I said before getting up from the table, allowing the maids to pick up the dishes. Flandre and Chen followed suit, while Chen continued to cross her arms.

I followed Patchy into the library as she led me around, until we were in the center of the library. The windows with broken glass shined in strong light, as the swinging clock ringed, telling me that it is noon.

(Where's my gundam?!)

"Well, what's the surprise?" I asked impatiently.

"Normally this would be the time when that witch would come and try to take my books" said Patchy, putting her hand up to her chin.

(Marisa comes at a specific time? She can't get enough of books can she?)

**Third POV**  
Outside the gate, there was a frozen ice block by the gate. The ice block contained a gatekeeper with her eyes closed, while laughing could be heard from the foliage in the nearby trees. It rustled as an ice fairy and a witch came out from the foliage.

"Hehehe, you did really good for someone like you" said the witch, carrying her broom.

"It was really easy! Now where's that thing you promised!?" demanded the ice fairy.

The witch took out a frog from a pocket in her black and white blouse. She quickly let go of it and wiped her hands on her blouse while the ice fairy caught it.

"Thank you~" said the ice fairy, before flying away. "Now mister, let's see how you can live by being frozen!"

The witch shook her head before entering the SDM, smirking.

"There's no one who can stop me from borrowing, not even Ken" said the witch.

The witch is now seen at the doors to the library, which was closed by Ken earlier, she gently places her hands on the doors.

**Ken's POV**

BANG!

"Patchy, I'm here for more borrowing~!" sung a familiar voice.

(And of course, it's exactly as I expected. Marisa just can't get enough of getting books for herself.)

"Ah, she's here" said Patchy, before snapping her fingers.

It echoed as I heard little footsteps shuffling about in the library, all receding from our position.

(Did you expect this to happen Patchy?)

I flew up to on top of one of the bookcases, Flandre followed me as well, while Chen stood next to Patchy.

"Daddy, is the-"

"Shh~! Just stay quiet and watch" I warned, interrupting Flandre, while watching Marisa walk up to a bookcase and pull out a book.

Marisa looked around suspiciously, as she hasn't encountered someone trying to stop her yet. She brought out her Hakkuro from under her hat and a bag from her blouse. She continues to shovel out the books to the bag.

Something...or someone just flew past my head, it was wearing clothes like Patchouli, when I glanced over to see who it was, it was indeed Patchouli. But it seems as though she's been miniaturized.

"Daddy, she's everywhere~" whispered Flandre, tugging my sleeve.

I look around and saw literally hundreds of them, circling Marisa in the air. One of them looked at me and bowed, before saying, "attack first."

(This seems familiar.)

"Flandre, 'break' that witch's clothes" I whispered, since she probably doesn't know Marisa's name.

(Don't break Marisa please.)

Flandre nodded and brought out her arm, slowly moving her fingers. Flandre looked at Marisa and focused, before clenching her hand shut into a fist. Marisa's clothes suddenly fell apart in an explosion of garments, what was left was her underwear. Marisa starts to shiver and look around in alert.

"It's cold~! Who did-"

"ATTACK!" yelled Patchy in the background, before the mini patchys start to rain down little red balls. When the balls hit the ground and Marisa, they exploded, giving up a slight wave of warmth. Marisa looked up in shock winced in pain before firing off multi-colored stars from her hands. Some of the patchys fell down and hit the floor, disappearing.

(This is epic.)

"WRY~!" yelled a voice, or rather a group.

(That better not be....or not.)

An army of miniature Sakuyas with blond hair and sharpened claws ran down the aisle towards Marisa, with their claws raised and shouting their war cry.

(Oh my god, what the hell?)

Flandre gripped my arm tightly, while she seemed to be shaking. She whimpered inaudible noises when she stared at the impending Sakuyas in fear.

(It seems natural for everyone to be in fear of a Dio Brando maid.)

Marisa was struggling to fight off the mini-patchys, while not noticing the Sakuyas leaping towards her.

(How do you not notice slasher maids about to kill you?)

They latched onto Marisa with their claws as Marisa was taken by surprise.

Some of the mini-patchys help Marisa by exploding the Sakuyas on her unknowingly.

"Get off of me!" struggled Marisa, covered by a swarm of Sakuyas.

(Wow, this is gold.)

While distracted, her Hakkuro rolled around unattended, as I eyed it and grew an anxious smile.

"Flandre, stay here" said Ken.

"Okay" responded Flandre, sitting down on top of the bookcase.

I dove for the Hakkuro from the bookcase, it barely missed me when I hit the floor. I crawled towards it until it was in my hands.  
(So this is what it feels like to hold this thing, it's very uncomfortable gripping it.)

(Now to lure her out of here.)

"Oh, Marisa~" I sung, getting her attention.

She gasped and immediately grabbed the Sakuyas, throwing them towards the bookcase with force like a monster, disintegrating them. She quickly fired off a narrow spark towards the mini-patchys, disintegrating them as well. There were a few left, but Marisa ignored them, as she ran towards me.

"Give that back~!" yelled Marisa, with her arms outstretched. She abandoned her bag of books, leaving a mess in the library.

"Catch me if you can!" I yelled, before running out of the library with a Marisa close behind me.

(Does this look familiar Flandre and Chen?)

I went outside and flew up in the air, while Marisa followed too. I was over the forest next to the SDM, I looked back and I saw Marisa preparing to grab me any second I waste, and a frozen ice block next to the gate.

(So much for guarding the gate when you have a dumbass that can freeze you just like that.)

I threw the Hakkuro in the direction of the Hakurei Shrine, as it disappeared into the air.

"You meanie!" yelled Marisa, making me get her attention.

"Then get out of the SDM!" I yelled back, triumphant.

"....I will be back!" declared Marisa, before flying away towards the Hakurei Shrine on her broom, in her underwear.

(Good luck going back home in your lingerie.)

(Well, another job well done.)

I smiled and flew down to the gate.

(Poor Meiling.)

I tapped on the ice block with my hand, feeling immediately chilled. It was solid, and it showed no signs of melting at all.

(Even touching it makes you feel cold. Well, good luck melting in the sun Meiling!)

I simply walked back into the SDM, while ignoring Meiling.

(Should I get Patchy to melt her? I probably should.)

I walked up to the library to see a multitude of miniature patchys in the air.

(How the hell did I not notice this before?)

They seemed to be...cleaning up by carrying books and garments of Marisa's destroyed clothing.

The miniature Sakuyas were marching in the library, shouting their signature cry, "WRY!" in triumph.

I saw the real Patchy walk up to me, smiling with her arms crossed. Chen followed her, still crossing her arms. But she had a distinct smile on her face.

(Wow, for the first time, I see you without a book in your hand.)

"Well, that was a success! Even failure could turn into success!" cheered Patchy in her little voice, before coughing a couple of times.

(By that you mean you turned a crossover into something useful? Yeah, that actually did help me out.)

"So how did you even manage to do this?" I asked.

"If I tell you, I estimate that you fall asleep by the time I start" explained Patchy. "I can tell you that each 'doll' relies on a single lock of hair."

(This feels like Patchcon, only the dolls are useful than I thought.)

"Does anyone else know about this?" I asked, since Sakuya didn't come to the library.

"Actually yes, except for Flandre and the guest. That's why they didn't come, instead, they continued to do what they always do. It took me many reasons for them to trust me though" replied Patchy.

"Well, you know it works, now what?"

"That witch will come in prepared for these dolls as expected. So I need to proliferate construction of these dolls with sigils, automatically using the lock of hair to genetically fill up the doll's blankness."

(I'm starting to lose my head in all this.)

"Okay. I understand now. I should go ahead and get Flanny" I said, flying upwards to one of the bookcases.

"Flanny~! Are you okay?" I yelled, looking around for her.

"I'm here!" replied Flandre, in the same spot that she sat at.

"Do you want to help Patchy with something?" I asked, wanting to help defend the library.

"Ooh~, I wanna help! What do I do?" asked Flandre eagerly, flying over to me.

I looked over to Patchy, who smiled, while holding a book.

(Great. You're holding a book now.)

"Fufu, I'll show you three how. This person already agreed to help me when she showed interest in the magical arts" replied Patchy, patting Chen's hat.

"Nyah! I want to get stronger and show Ranny what I learned!" said Chen eagerly, making me raise my eyebrows.

(Very rarely do you hear a kid that would say that nowadays. Unless it happens to be destructive magic.)

-TimeSkip-

We worked with Patchy in the library until Ran has come to the SDM once again. What me and Flandre did is to help her draw out the sigils onto the ground, and assisted Patchy in any means possible. Chen on the other hand, was reading from a book called, "Black Arts for Dummies." I rolled my eyes when she was reading that, hearing her mutter incantations.

Finished, me and Flandre read a picture book together, telling her about the ugly duckling. She sat in my lap while I held the book. Patchy continued to read her manga back in the center of the library, while Chen continued to look at the Black Arts book.

(So where exactly do you get a Black Arts for Dummies book in the first place?)

"Ken, she's here again" said Sakuya, instantly appearing next to me.

(HOLY SHIT!)

I flinched and threw up the book in the air, while it landed on the floor perfectly on its side.

"You scared me" I remarked, glaring at Sakuya, who looked indifferent.

(Someone is perfect for halloween.)

"Sorry, but her master is here" said Sakuya, looking at Chen. Chen's eyes glittered as she immediately closed the book and ran out, yelling "RANNY~!"

(Just like how someone wants her mother back.)

"Flandre, stay in the mansion. I'll be going out, be good okay?" I said, standing up while holding Flandre by her armpits.

"Okay. I'll be good. I won't break anything" said Flandre, nodding. I sat her down on the floor and walked away.  
"WAIT~!"  
I immediately turned around, with Flandre's arms outstretched.

(Oh that's right, I forgot didn't I?)

I walked back to Flandre and picked her up, before pecking her on the forehead. "Here's your goodnight kiss."

"Give Sakuya a goodnight kiss!" said Flandre as I sat her down on the floor again. I blushed, looking at Sakuya now. Sakuya was still, blushing and looking at the floor.  
I walked over to Sakuya and tilted her head, before pecking her on the lips. Sakuya, like earlier before, stared at me, her lips quivering after I drew back.

I nodded and said, "good night" before leaving the library, leaving a stunned Sakuya standing in the library.

I walked outside, immediately seeing that day has turned into night, as the moon shines above us in a crescent moon.

Walking outside the gate, I saw Ran, carrying a Chen on her back, along with a frozen ice block.

(Whoops, I forgot to tell Patchy to melt her. Aw well, she'll get used to it.)

"My mistress is no longer drunk and is willing to see you today" said Ran, turning around, her back facing the SDM.

"Well then, let's go. I'm eager to see her" I said, smirking.

(So I will finally get to see the face that is Yukari. Let's do this.)


	46. Supremacy Chapter 6

**Ran's Mistress is a Big Fat Bitch**

"Um excuse me? I take offense for that. I'm right here you know?" said Yukari.

"So?" I said.

"Change the title please, or else" threatened Yukari. "And stop typing down what I am saying. STOP IT!"

*Gets whacked on the head with a folded paper fan.

"Fine."

Ran's mom is a Big Fat Bitch

"Ahem" grunted Yukari, while lightly placing her fingernails on my neck.

"OKAY OKAY, Jeez."

Intentionally Misplaced and Cruel Sukima

**Ken's POV**

It was night as I followed Ran and her distinctly large poofy tails. Ran is carrying Chen on her back, while Chen excitedly tells her about all the black arts she learned.

(Normally you don't hear a cat telling her mistress that she learned something, much less black arts.)

It was a crescent moon up in the black sky, clashing against the darkness with its rays of light, gleaming down on Gensokyo.

The SDM was but a blur away as the lights in the mansion were barely seen.

We were flying over the Misty Lake, glistening the moonlight, with the two fairies not seen nearby.

(Hey, what the hell is that?)

I saw a very small ice cube floating on the lake's surface, with a frog in it, unattended.

(Everybody loves Cirno! The frog freezer!)

I looked at it for a few seconds before I lost interest and continued to follow Ran, who was far up ahead, over the forest of magic.

(Hey! Wait up!)

While I rushed up there, my stomach growled, indicating I was hungry.

(Jeez, I'm really hungry. Hopefully I can get food at wherever they live?)

When I caught up to her, I noticed that Chen fell asleep, considering how her head laid against Ran's shoulder on her cheek and her limbs were limp. Ran held Chen by her butt so she could carry her.

(That seems a little bit suspicious.)

When I leaned in a bit while squinting my eyes, I noticed Ran's hands were occasionally squeezing Chen's buttocks, before simply holding them again.  
(Ehh? Why is it so big a surprise for me?)

I quickly looked at Ran's face, catching a glimpse of a normal face that degenerated into a drunken smile, and drool that fell through the air, much like how a bird poops in the air.

(And I thought I was the bigger lolicon. Oh wait, I still am. No she is, I only told Flandre to do it when I tell her to do it.)

(Either way, this is probably no different from the priest and the altar boy relationship. What me and Flandre are doing are completely different.)

(Yeah, it's totally different. Not like Chen and Ran.)

Suddenly, Ran shook her face, regaining the serious demeanor she had on her face, after five minutes of drooling.

(A little too late for that.)

I chuckled lightly, when I heard something vibrate loudly. It was coming from Ran herself. She continued to fly forward while adjusting her hand to both buttocks of Chen, while she used her other hand to grab the phone out of her dress.

(The only vibration I know that could be is a cell phone. What would Ran be doing with a cell phone?)

Alas, when she got her hand out of her dress, she was indeed carrying a cell phone. It was an indigo RAZR, with the screen and the Motorola sign lighting up.

(A RAZR? How the hell do you even get service here? And of all the phones Yukari gets you, you get the out of fashion one?)

She put it to her ear while flipping it open, before saying "hello?"

(And she knows how to use it too, what the hell?)

I heard an incomprehensible voice that was barely audible, while Ran shook or nodded her head from time to time. "Yes......No....I understand...Yes...I'll tell him."

Meanwhile, Chen seem to begin to fall out of Ran's hand, her arm shifting lifelessly to the right, no longer supported by Ran's shoulder.

Soon, Chen began to slip off her hand, her head cocked to the right, while still sleeping.

(Umm, Ran, your sleeping cat is about to fall off your hand.)

Ran grunted a weird, quick sound, before tossing up Chen in the air lightly, before she lands back on her hand, her arms are now back to where her shoulders are. Ran arches her back, so it wouldn't happen again.

(Cat can never get a fox's tongue after all, except in cases of fried tofu.)

After two minutes of talking, Ran finally hung up on the phone, flipping it close and slipping it into her dress, where her breasts are.

(I wonder if bras are like the only pockets the Touhou characters have.)

She turned to look at me, with an emotionless smile that is much like Reimu's normal face.

(You either look really serious...or you look really stoned. What are you on Ran?)

"Yukari has given me an errand, I will take Chen with me. You continue on to our home" said Ran. "Just keep on going straight, you will see an abandoned village with a sign on the well called Mayohiga, from there you should be able to see a home that is distinct from the houses in the village. However, the home is not in Mayohiga."

"What errand do you have to do?" I asked.

(Especially at nighttime like this.)

"None of your business, now go" said Ran, before flying away quickly to an unknown destination in the opposite direction, leaving me alone here.

(Gee, thanks for leaving me at night where there are wild youkai running around. I should be able to handle myself though.)

I continued forward in the sky, remembering the directions Ran gave me.

(Even when you can control borders, you still need someone to do work for you.)

(Hey, what's that in the distance?)

I squinted my eyes to see somewhat of a clearing, with wooden homes in the distance.

(Is that Mayohiga?)

My curiosity told me to get even closer to the village and investigate it, when suddenly, I felt two hands on my shoulder, gripping tightly.

(What the...)

Soon the hands dragged me back with huge force, making me lose my balance in the air, lifting my feet up in the air. "Whoa~!"

(Who's doing this?)

As my head was being tilted back, I saw the dark sky littered with stars, then it turned into darkness gradually from top to bottom as my vision moved and blurred. It had been warm and humid throughout the journey, now it was somewhat cold and dry. I immediately gained goosebumps as the relatively warm hands were soon off my shoulders. I rolled onto a floor backwards until I hit the wall, with my head.

(Ah, my head. Why is it so cold in here? Are my eyes closed?)

I stood up and braced myself in a room filled with complete darkness.

"WHO ARE YOU?" I yelled, not hearing my voice resonate.

I heard a very faint chuckling in the background before it disappeared, making me grow confused and alert.

(What's going on? Where am I? I know I am in a room. Especially since my feet are on the floor, I feel like this is a wooden floor.)

My stomach growled loudly in this room, while I put my hand on my stomach.

(Whoever is attacking me.....picked the right time to do it.)

(I should probably try to see what I can still do, just because I'm blind doesn't mean I can't hear.)

I gulped before cautiously lifting my right foot, then placing it forward slowly on the wooden floor.

(This is very uncomfortable to go through. It's dark, it's cold, and I'm alone. I'm feeling some major bad voodoo.)

My legs began to buckle under certain fear, as I was brought into a room by force, while I was vulnerably open for some kind of ambush.

I began to get very paranoid, as every slight unknown touch I felt made me jump, as I punched in the air in response. But the punches only hit air, I felt like I was being tortured on the inside.

Whoever trapped me randomly out of nowhere now has the same control over me as a man wearing a grotesque mask, torturing his victims that have done wrong in the past, while toying with them in a deep voice about playing games.

(Oh man, this is very scary.)

"Fufufu" chuckled a deep, gruffly voice. I immediately shook in fear with a chill down my spine, as it came from above my head.

(Shit, if he attacks me, he has a height advantage.)

(Hold up...)

(There's another man with powers in Gensokyo? What's going on? Then again, who else would say "fufufu?")

"Who are you!" I yelled accusingly, tilting my head up.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAhahaha...!" laughed the voice ominously, making me feel even more uncomfortable. My whole entire body shook in complete darkness. "Impudent whelp! I....AM....YOUR....FATHER!"

Suddenly, I didn't feel as comfortable as before, as I became more lighthearted.

(Did you get that from Star Wars or something? Should I play along or not? I think it will be funner if I go with the former.)

"NO~! THIS CAN'T BE TRUE!" I screamed mockingly, secretly chuckling inside.

"YOU DARE MOCK ME? Fall to the force of the dark side!" barked the voice.

(Okay? Now you're just becoming lame. Time to see what powers he actually has when I provoke him.)

"Psh~! I bet your Schwartz is actually very small! Hahahahahahah-hugh!" I laughed, before being gripped tightly in the neck by a hand. Immediately, I put my hands on that hand while I began to choke. Soon, I noticed the hand raising slightly on my neck to my chin as I was being lifted off the ground.

(E-Eh? The hand seems relatively fragile and lithe to my own hands. Does that mean....I'll have to check.)

"Taste my FORCE GRIP!" taunted the voice, while I rolled my eyes. "Whose Schwartz is bigger now?"

(Force Grip my ass. You aren't actually supposed to use your own hand. No matter, time to check for something...certain.)

I strained to reach out my right hand while struggling to get the hand off of my neck with my left hand. Once I reached out as far as I could, I chopped the air downwards.

In fact, it WAS only air I chopped. I inched my hand closer to me and chopped again, contacting only air. My hand began to get colder as it was already cold and moving it would get the same effect as a wind chill blowing against me.

As I kept inching towards me while now moving my hand in a waving motion, my eyes began to blur out.

(Gotta move faster! This person seems to be actually cho-oking me.)

Suddenly, I hit the arm while it was in the way of the waving motion my hand was doing.

(That's weird, how come I didn't hit the body before the arm? And the arm doesn't seem to be slanting either, and I'm being raised off the ground..Unless...)

(No, it can't be Yukari, but the arm seems to be strangely soft and not connected to the rest of the body.)

(But right now, I really need to focus on getting this damn arm OFF ME!)

(Now where's her funny bone? It's an obvious pressure point everybody knows about!)

I felt around her arm with my hand until I found a little indent on her elbow, I assumed my hand in chopping motion, as I leaned my pinky against the indent.

"What are you doing you-ARGH~!" barked the voice until I hit the funny bone. As soon as I hit, the hand drew back, but not before I grabbed onto the elbow to drag me in with both hands. I breathed rapidly, no longer hindered by the hand that was choking me.

(Geez, how strong is this person?)

I literally was dragged off my feet as I grabbed hold of the arm and held on.

(Even if it isn't Yukari, I think I should duck my head.)

And I did so, lowering my head, along the way, I felt as if I was bottle-necked in a very narrow area before getting out in the open on the other side.

"Let go of me, human!" yelled the same voice, but more womanly.

(Whoa, maybe it is Yukari!)

I quickly drew up my legs once they were out of the bottleneck, and cuddled the arm with my body. I am in complete darkness latching onto an arm like a monkey and a tree branch.

"Get off my arm!" yelled the now womanly voice, moving her arm around vigorously.

I began to get dizzy from being shaken around, but I still held on tightly.

(Oh man, I feel like I could throw up any second now.)

"I give up!" yelled the voice, before my face was slapped by some kind of paper. It felt like a fan due to the folded edges I felt.

(IT IS YUKARI! In that case, time to piss her off!)

"Stop shaking me, you old hag!" I said, intending to provoke Yukari.

(I hope this was a good plan. I already feel like it's a bad one.)

The arm stopped suddenly in place, tilting down since I could feel the elbow bending downwards. My limbs began to shake under fear again, as I was uncertain for what Yukari was going to do next, while knowing the end result would be really bad.

(I should probably let go...before...)

"What did you just call me?" said the womanly voice, while also hearing her knuckles crackle.

Soon, my face met the sole of her shoe, before she kicked me off her arm with one clean kick.

"DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?" roared the womanly voice, while I descended to the ground. I heard even myself fall down, hearing the wind go past my ears. I could feel my face warming up in heat and pain alike, as Yukari left a mark with her shoe on my beautiful face.

(Man, does she pack one hell of a kick. Good thing she wasn't wearing cleats or worse, high heels. Time to stop gravity.)

I quickly regained control of myself before stopping myself in mid-air. The sudden stop in my acceleration towards the ground made my stomach very upset for a few seconds, before subsiding.

(Well, that never happened before. Time to face....Yukari..)

"You're the person...or rather youkai who brought me here in the first place, aren't you?" I asked accusingly, smirking.

(If anyone ever saw me smiling while asking a serious question, they will never take me seriously again.)

"Shoot first. Ask questions later" responded the voice, before a few seconds of silence pass.

(But we don't have guns in this.)

Looking up, I saw a square glimmer and glow brightly. Using that card's brightness, I looked at the face of the holder. It was indeed Yukari, with her mop hat tied with a red ribbon.

(So it is you, let's make this personal. You're the one who spirited me away before I could help Jonathan!)

"Bounded Field! Mesh of Light and Darkness!" declared Yukari, before the card stopped glimmering bright, bringing the room into total darkness again.

Immediately, one laser of light beamed just in front of me horizontally, barely missing my nose. I could feel the laser warming up my nose, which strangely, isn't illuminating it. It's not illuminating the surface it contacts either, just a laser of light with no light.

(That's breaking some major rules right now....great I forgot the uno numero rule. Common Sense does not mix well with Gensokyo. Even the book seems foreign to it.)

While the laser remained still, it was broken off into two pieces, separated by darkness, yet I still felt the warmth somehow.

(Must be a gap. Yukari must be taking it easy.)

Grinning, I walked through the laser via darkness, while feeling very confident.

(Now time for....ARGH!)

My body immediately got a surge of pain as if my entire skin is being ironed by an iron. I immediately jumped back, trying to get rid of the searing pain on me.

(What? Lasers were never that hot! I bet these supercharged lasers are worse than curvy lasers of doom.)

(Wait a second...good the pain has gone down. But....ah shit. Mesh of Light and Darkness? It's literally a mesh of that! It was never like that in the games at all! And it would be really hard to dodge that too.)

(Now that I'm dealing with lasers that totally blend in the darkness I'm in, I need to probably end this quickly. But I need to seek her out first.)

Jumping back to evade the lasers, I wave my hands around and around, conjuring up little white particles that resemble sand that move randomly and leisurely around before homing in quickly to a certain destination.

(So that's where she is. Come on Seeking Sand! Take her out while I....ah man. I have to dodge darkness in darkness!)

"Fufufu, that won't work" giggled Yukari, before a net of lasers surrounded her in light and darkness, nullifying the seeking sand easily as it disappeared, while I never heard the humming sound in my head at all. A clear indication that Yukari hasn't been taking damage at all. "Out of the frying fire and into the FIRE!"

(What?)

Confused by her last declaration, I was suddenly surrounded by a net of lasers myself. They all overlapped one another as the dark lasers made themselves clearly seen by their opposite light lasers, like a soccer net made of Kevlar. It was actually more like a cage, surrounding me with no space for me to move around, I could only stand in the area, not even move my hands minimally. The accumulation of the heat made by the lasers has begun to make me sweat in an otherwise cold environment.

(Crap, I can't move!)

Suddenly, I was gripped in the neck again by the same hand, fragile yet strong. "Fufufu, let's see how you can withstand the fire!"

I moved up in the air by the hand before it went forward, pushing me into the tangible net of lasers.

"AHH~!" I screamed, as my entire body felt like it was being incinerated by napalm. It felt like being squished together with dry ice. I struggled to move my hands to get Yukari's hand off of my neck. But my nerves were so overloaded with pain that I couldn't even move them. In fact, my body started to feel really numb, but the searing pain still remains. Thanks to my hands being unresponsive, I can't declare a spell card. I was rendered paralyzed by only one spell card. My mind grew blank, since my body was losing the battle against the pain besieging my body.

"Fufufu, you're so weak. I'm going to finish you and end your pathetic existence!" declared Yukari after thirty seconds, before throwing me back out of the net of lasers.  
I heard the sound of the spell card dying out before I heard something impact the floor very loudly and hollow behind me. My back landed against stone, feeling myself crack the rock while making a broken sound. I sat, lying against the stone while I began to be very lethargic, no longer feeling the burn on me. But my back is still very much in pain.

(Crap....I can't.......crap.)

I closed my eyes and tilted my head, before blacking out in a sea of darkness.

**Yukari's POV**

(Well, he was much more weaker than I thought. It wasn't a real spell card battle, especially how I trapped him.)

I grinned in an empty room in my home, unusually more darker than it should be.

(I could have just blacked out the windows with gaps, but that means work...so it's a good thing I hired someone to make it harder for Ken.)

I clapped my hands, the very sound of my claps made the darkness recede to only one girl. She had red eyes, and short blond hair. She was wearing a black vest and a skirt, with a white blouse under. A small red amulet is tied to the left side of her hair, making it look like a ribbon.

(She's so useful to me, but only after I tied her hair to a small red amulet. It lost its effect from time to time. But why should I care if a few humans die?)

The girl was beside me all this time, covering the room in artificial darkness, until now. She tilted her head up while sitting in a fetal position and looked up at me.

"Is he dead? Can I eat him? Please, please, pul-ease~!" pleaded the girl, drooling at the sight of the vulnerable Ken lying against a gravestone. The gravestone was crackled and chipped, with a pedestal under it. Originally sculpted in the distant past, it was now an easily malleable stone.

I snapped my fingers, before the rocks crumbled and disappeared, making Ken now resting himself on the wooden floor. He was not bleeding at all, only suffering many bruises and burns, with red marks on his neck and his face, looking thoroughly beat-up.

(I think I have gone a bit too far.)

"No Rumia. You may not. However, I do have food ready for you" I replied, grinning.

(Depending on when Ran gets back from the human village.)

"Really? Where?" said the girl, eagerly standing up and looking straight up at me.

I heard a knocking on the wooden white door to my right. I walked up to it, while Rumia followed behind me. I twisted the foreign mechanism on the door and pulled it towards me.

(Perfect Timing.)

Behind the door was Ran, holding a plate of a perfectly marbled slab of meat.

(That must be really heavy to carry, considering it's as big as my shikigami's head.)

I was shoved to the right, before I saw Rumia jumping up, trying to reach the dish with her arms outstretched. She was so entranced by the meat that she forgot that she would've just flew to get the meat. I uncomfortably smiled while regaining my composure.

(Oh kids. Good thing I'm used to them.)

"Ah, Ah, Ah. What do you say?" I chided, before Rumia stopped jumping and wiped away her drool.

"Thank you!" said Rumia, facing me.

"You're welcome. Now follow Ran to the dining table then you can eat your reward."

Soon Ran departed, while Rumia followed her eagerly, drooling once again onto my carpet hallway. I sighed and shook my head, remembering that the drool will evaporate away.

(I'm tired. I should go to sleep again.)

I looked back at Ken, lying on the floor with his stomach barely rising and falling.

(Good. He's still alive. I won't have to bargain with the Yama after all.)

(Now time for that well-deserved sleep after my hard work. And after that, maybe I should finish the trilogy.)


	47. Supremacy Chapter 7

**The Master Hand**

**Third POV**

It is now morning outside ever since Ken was knocked out by Yukari. The SDM seems to not be worried by his absence, except for Sakuya, who notices but it is kept busy from worrying on her job. It is seemingly peaceful and quiet around the home of Yukari, with the absence of bird youkai chirping in the distance.

Ken is still knocked out on the floor of an empty room, with no blanket and pillow to accompany him. Yukari simply left him the way he was when she incapacitated him.  
However, two residents of the home of Yukari begin to enter the room that houses the now sleeping Ken as the light streaks in from the window, brightly illuminating the room.

"Chen, you get his legs. I'll get his arms and head" said a resident to a girl with cat ears and two tails.

"Okay Ranny~! But I can carry him so easily by myself!" remarked Chen.

"No. Last time you did that, you lost balance on the stairs and dislocated the poor person's arm, and she only wanted to eat a lot of meat too in exchange for helping Yukari" replied Ran, shaking her head vigilantly.

"Ugh~! Fine~."

Ran circles around Ken and grasps his arms on the floor while Chen grabs his legs.

"Okay, are you ready Chen?" said Ran, bending over and looking at Chen.

"Yes Ran" replied Chen.

"Okay. 3...2...1!" counted Ran before her and Chen lifted Ken up easily. Ken's hands fall limp in the air while his head tilted slightly backwards.

"He's like a feather Ranny~!" commented Chen while smirking.

"I know Chen, I know. But we need to make sure not to hurt him while we go to the kitchen. I need his help" said Ran. "Let's go."

Ran and Chen begin to carry out Ken into a hallway out of the room. Holding Ken's legs with one arm, Chen closed the door to the room via foreign handle. "I always liked sliding better, this hurts my wrist!"

Chen again carries Ken's legs with two hands as they begin to move down the blue carpet hallway. Picture frames can be seen with the three residents of the hallways, some only containing less, but they each are uplifting. Where they are going is a staircase, with Ran's back facing that direction.

Soon, they easily make it to the staircase, but they are stuck there. Ran has a puzzled face while Chen looks impatient. "Umm, how are we going to carry him while we go downstairs?" asked Ran.

"Easy! Just go one step at a time!" replied Chen impatiently, before sniffing Ken's feet. Immediately she is repulsed by the foul odor Ken's feet causes. "Can we please hurry downstairs? His feet stink..."

"Okay Chen. We'll try to go downstairs one step at a time in a hurried pace. Just hold your breath" comforted Ran. Chen inhaled air like a jet intake and held it, looking ridiculous with bulged cheeks. While Chen was looking up, Ran rolled her eyes, giggling a little bit.

They begin to cautiously go down the ten step carpet staircase. Ken's body is pointed downwards as Ran carefully looks behind her to see where her feet are going. Chen exhaled her ridiculous jet intake, repelled by the pungent odor Ken's feet makes. Step by step, the carpet staircase creaks under them, as the staircase seems to be very old.

All seems to be going well for the journey to the downstairs floor, they are being cautious at each step. But when just they are really close to the ground floor, Ran skipped a step in the staircase, Ran suddenly tumbles backwards, taking Ken with her and out of Chen's grasp, who regained her balance from the sudden jerk.

Ran hit the wall that was facing the staircase with her back, but luckily, her soft, large, and poofy tails saved her from any pain or shock. However, something else will send her into shock.

"Ranny! Are you okay?" yelled Chen, who quickly raced downstairs and bent over Ran, looking at her with googly eyes.

"Yes Chen, I am al-" Ran interrupted herself when she saw Ken who landed in the fall on her breasts. His face is literally buried in the cleavage, while Chen still stands there unaware of the situation.

Ran blushed when she realized this, and asks with great embarrassment "Chen, can you get the box that says Trix, a bowl and a gallon of fat-free milk from the cabinet and fridge, and place them on the table?" Ran tries to say this as calm as possible, so Chen does not notice Ken sleeping on her breasts.

Chen nods and looks away, beginning to get the two things out of their respective places. Ran breathes a sigh of relief and secretly gave thanks to her large and poofy tails before getting up.

However, Ken's face seem to be stuck in the cleavage of Ran's breasts, his body being lifted up when Ran stands up, his feet dangling in the air. Ran becomes clearly irritated at this and gets Ken off her breasts by picking him up in midair and placing him on a chair at the kitchen table. Ran sits him up straight to keep him from hopefully slouching, trying to set an example for Chen.

The circular kitchen table is covered with a light cherry blossom tablecloth, pink and white, the edges dangling in the air. The actual table is made of wood with metal supports in the corners, able to be movable via folding the metal supports and moving only the surface. In the middle of the table are usual condiments: a pile of napkins, salt and pepper wooden shakers, and a steel silverware holder with holes in them. Surrounding the table are six chairs, three for the residents, and the other three for visitors. The chairs have light white cushions on top of them with wooden supports and backrest, the wooden parts is in a rich dark Mocha Cappuccino Finish.

The floor of the kitchen is wooden, and the walls are painted white. The kitchen itself has a simple layout. It has counters, a stove with a baker at the bottom, a microwave above the stove, a toaster, a coffee maker, a black fridge, a rice pot, a sink, and a blender. The kitchen seems to be designed in a simple, modern style, while the tablecloth table clashes with it. A window is seen above the sink, which is the only one illuminating the somewhat cramped medium sized rectangular kitchen.

Chen has placed the Trix cereal box, a bowl, and a gallon of milk on top of the table. "Now what?"

"Now we have to wake up Ken, so he can help us figure out what combination our Mistress told us to figure out" said Ran, before looking at Ken. "Oh Ken~. Ken wake up. Wake up."

Ran becomes increasingly irritated as she fails to wake up Ken, even to the point of nudging him softly.

"KEN WAKE UP!" In her outburst, Ran slaps Ken very hard on the cheek, waking him up in a shock and a red mark on his face.

"Ow~, what was that for?" yelled Ken, grudgingly feeling his cheek. "Am I alive?"

Ken looks around, seeing the surprisingly modern kitchen in his vision. "Am I back in my world?"

"No, you are still here in Gensokyo. You are in the Yakumo residence, show some respect" said Ran, sighing before pointing towards the cereal, bowl, and milk. "Do you, a human from your world, know this combination. How do you execute it?"

Ken stops rubbing his cheek and looked at the cereal box, and looked at Ran like she's retarded. "Execute it? That's freaking common sense, everybody should know how to do it in my world! Here I got it. I need food anyway."

Ran feels shameful, seeing as she couldn't figure the easy combination, while Chen looks onward with intense curiosity, grabbing a seat at the table.

Ken grabs all three and puts it next to him. He opens the bag in the cereal box that contains the "Trix" and pours a lot into his clear, white, and wide bowl. Soon he stops pouring and closes the cereal box with the bag. He opens the milk jug and pours it into his cereal in his bowl, as milk begins to splash a little bit out of the bowl. Soon an adequate amount was in and Ken stops pouring the milk. Ran puts back the milk in the fridge, while still looking back at the bowl containing the cereal and milk.

Ken looks around for silverware until looking at the middle of the table. He grabs a silverware spoon from the silverware holder and places it in his cereal. He gets a spoonful of cereal on the metal spoon with milk dripping out, and already begins to eat it. "I haven't ate Trix in a long time, and it's good."

"How did you figure it out so easily?" said Chen, only to result in Ken looking at her like she's an idiot.

"Even if you aren't from my world, there is milk splashing out of a bowl on the cover of the cereal box" remarked Ken, pointing towards the Trix box.

"Ohh~, I see. Can I have a try?" asked Chen, her mouth seems to be drooling at Ken's cereal.

"No you may not. You just ate catnip" said Ran harshly, putting away the cereal box now.

"Aww~ no fair!" pouted Chen, before going to the door behind Ken, which leads to outside of the home. The door creaked as Chen shut the door loudly behind her.

Ran sighes and closes the cabinet that houses the cereal box, while Ken eats his cereal happily. "Don't worry about Chen. She acts like that sometimes."

"I see. Aren't you supposed to be really smart?" asked Ken rudely, but Ran shoved that aside like it was nothing.

"I am capable of thinking complex calculations above the human mind, but this cereal, milk, and bowl thing is a new concept for me. So I did not know how to do such a thing" said Ran.

Ken was about to say something, but then he continued to eat his food. The uncomfortable silence lasted for a while until Ken finishes eating as he stands up from his chair and grabs the empty bowl with the spoon. "Where do I put this?"

"Over there in the sink. Please put it on the left side" replied Ran, pointing towards the sink below the window.

Ken walks over to the sink and places the bowl and spoon on the left compartment of the sink without even looking through the window, since the light that streaks from it is really bright. Ken looks back Ran at the table and gets a puzzled look. "That table...kinda clashes with everything else here."

"I know. But you can say that we had this table for a very long time. My Mistress Yukari wanted to keep using it for sentimental value. It's very important to Yukari. I'm surprised it hasn't been broken yet" said Ran, explaining the table.

"I see. Speaking of Yukari, where is she?" asked Ken, although he looks like he already got his answer.

"Sleeping upstairs in her room. Sometimes she may sleep for weeks straight. It's completely random depending on her whims. Since she wanted to see you, she may wake up soon" explained Ran.

"Well, that's one heavy sleeper" commented Ken, before wincing from pain on his back. Putting his hand on his back, he grabs a nearby chair, and sits down, feeling more at ease.

"Did Yukari go too rough on you?" joked Ran, smiling. "Would you like some ice?"

"I'm fine, I just had to go through burning lasers and clinging onto things in complete darkness. It's alright" replied Ken, obviously being sarcastic.

"Well aren't you saucy?" remarked Ran, lightly giggling. Her tails began to lightly shake. "Chen?"

Ran stood up in an alarmed state, and immediately ran to the door that Chen went through. Ran opened the door and went outside, while the door made several squeaks.  
"Hey! What's going on?" asked Ken alarmingly as Ran's tails went through the door, Ran left the door open, letting the light shine through. Ken ran out of that same door curious.

Around the house was red brick cobblestone with no garden. The house itself was made of brick and visible lumber at the same time, built German-style. A cobblestone path extended from the house, into a portal that led to a bridge that leads to Gensokyo. Surrounding the cobblestone was a green meadow, as the grass extends really far into the distance, before stopping at the edge by an Aurora. Above was a normal sky, with the sun rising in the distance. It seems like someone rich lives here with a huge tract of land with yet a relatively humble house in the middle.

**Ken's POV**

(What the hell is seriously going on?)

(I feel like I'm back in my world, but instead, I'm at Yukari's. Because a certain someone had to grab and almost kill me to get in the damn house!)

(I got to admit though, this is a pretty sweet house with a big ass yard though. The table probably needs to go though, even if it is for sentimental value.)

I have ran outside, stepping onto the red cobblestone with my bare feet.

"Help! Help m-!" the voice in distress suddenly was cut off, as it came from my left. I turned around and I already saw Ran running in that direction.

I followed, since I was curious. My back responded in kind with pain, but I ignored it, I got used to it.

As I got closer, out of the horizon, I began to see Chen being grabbed from behind by some...weird disgusting looking hand coming out of the ground. It was large, green, with long fingernails as it held onto Chen, apparently trying to squeeze the life out of her. The index finger apparently blocked her mouth from shouting, but that didn't stop it from me hearing Chen's loud muffled sounds.

(Well, I wouldn't like it too if I had some giant hand grab me and muffle my voice.)

When Chen saw us, her eyes became wide open and began to cry, before trying to struggle out of the hand, banging on it with her fists.

"Chen, everything's going to be alright, just hold on! We're going to get you out of there!" comforted Ran.

Chen nodded but continued to bang on the fist. Ran then immediately charges at the hand, her hands somewhat raised.

(For someone very smart, doing a frontal assault isn't smart at all.)

However, Ran instead jumped on the fingers and easily pried off the fingers on Chen, giving her breathing space. "Come on Chen! Fly out!"

(Well aren't you strong? You didn't even need a crowbar.)

Chen frantically nodded, and flew out of the grasp of the hand, as soon as Chen flew up, Ran did so too, barely escaping the grasp of the hand. I remained on the ground, facing the big, somewhat intimidating hand.

"How did that hand get here in the first place" I yelled, still facing the hand, that appears to doing something. It seems to be resting its fingers onto the ground.

"It...It...It was all my fault! I wanted to surprise Ranny with my new powers!" yelled Chen, while Ran hugs her and rubs her back.

(Yeah, I don't think Black Magic for a Moe-Blob isn't going to work out.)

"Well, since you created it, how do you get rid of it?" I yelled. The hand appears to have gotten out of the ground, no longer bound to one spot. It begins to slowly walk up to me in a spiderly fashion.

"I..I...I..you get rid of it by declaring a phrase, in the book, its called a kill switch or something."

(A kill switch ehh? Sounds familiar.)

"Well then, uhh...Why aren't you all helping me fend them off?" yelled Ken, looking at Ran now hugging Chen.

"I'm busy!" responded Ran, her pupils seem to be looking straight up and having a drunken smile.

(She's a bigger lolicon than me...wow.)

"I'm trying to remember the kill switch! Try saying random phrases or something to help get rid of it!" yelled Chen, hugging Chen back.

(Well that's just great, useless...)

Looking at the hand, I saw that it was closer to me than I thought. It crouched to the ground slowly, before leaping towards me.

As the hand was above me trying to clasp me down to the ground, I quickly ran out of the way, as the hand landed on nothing but the ground.

(Here goes nothing.)

The hand pounced towards me again, as it was in the air, I declared "KLATU...VERADA...NICKTU!"

(I hope I pronounced every little syllable.)

Suddenly, the hand twitched, before falling to the ground on its back, as its fingers fly in the air in a useless manner.

(Come on, Come on...Think Think Think...Ah...Ha...time to try something from the 4koma. But I must do it in exactly the same manner as the girl in the comic.)

My eyes became wide open and focused on the hand, before I pointed towards the hand. "NAMU AMIDA BUTSU!"

It did nothing, as the fingers only continue to fly uselessly in the air.

(That was useless...wait, that's for exorcising a ghost. I better be more careful about saying that when I'm near one.)

(I should probably get away from this hand before it leaps on me by surprise or something.)

My eyes returned back to normal, I began to back away slowly from the hand. But then the hand went up to the air all of a sudden, before flipping around to reveal its fingers. The hand began to fall down on me at impending speed.

(Must..get...away...from...hand of doom.)

I tried to run away from the spot, but the hand landed right next to me and quickly swept my feet with one of his fingers. I fell to the ground on my back, making major pain surges go through my body.

(Ahh, my back!)

The hand crept above me, I observed the many scars, demonic marks, and discolored veins run through its palm. It held my arms and legs against the floor with its fingers.

(I really have a bad feeling about this...this is getting more and more scary by the second.)

"I GOT IT! I REMEMBER THE KILL SWITCH! RANNY~ LET GO OF ME~!" yelled Chen, making me sigh with relief, but I wasn't still calm against the hand of danger above me.

"Sorry~, go get that hand Chen~!" cheered Ran. I heard a thud on the ground shortly after Ran apologized.

(...Wow...)

"Ranny~, Are you okay?" yelled Chen.

(She's probably fainted already. I'm trapped right here you know!)

"Ranny, Ranny, Ranny~! Your nose is bleeding~!" yelled Chen, I heard several slaps to the face, while I got more and more irritated.

I saw a large hole materialized on the palm, before it resembles a huge mouth with teeth and tongue, it began to drool into my clothes.

I began to get angry and disgusted as it held me against my will to the ground, yet I'm subject to drooling and probably going to get eaten. Desperately, I yelled "HURRY AND GET THIS HAND OFF ME BEFORE IT EATS ME!"

"Oh yeah! Sorry...Now" said Chen, I heard footsteps come towards me slowly. The hand began to get closer to get to my balls, about to eat them.

(SAY IT BEFORE IT RAPES ME AND MY MANLY BALLS!)

Just in the nick of time, Chen declared "Hullabaloo and Howdy-do! Must take prawns, to TIMBUKTU!" with strong conviction.

Out through the cracks left by the fingers, I saw a pentacle appear above the hand, before it began to lift the hand off me, giving me my personal space back.

(Oh thank goodness?)

It began to suck me in as well to the pentacle. The pentacle absorbed the hand as it sucked it in, when I got close to it, I saw many ghostly faces on the pentacle, before I felt a huge driving force draw me in like a vacuum cleaner.

(WHAT THE HELL?)

My head popped through, I saw many spirits fly around in a decrepit black otherworldly world, I saw two blue roses sitting in roses. And a person who seems to be standing there, staring at me.

Then I felt an arm wrapping around my chest before it pulled me away, as it struggled to draw me out of the world.

(Who is that guy? And why does this look familiar?)

My head was soon only facing the pentacle, but it continues to suck my face like a vacuum cleaner.

"NOW!" yelled a voice drowned out in the sucking, as I barely heard it. Then the pentacle disappeared, as my face no longer felt like it was being sucked in.

But unfortunately, the arm that helped me struggle away from that otherworldly world worked against me, as it accidentally forced me into the ground. I hit the ground with my back, again sending surging tides of pain.

(Ow...That hurt...really bad.)

Looking up with my eyes, I saw the person who was helping me was Ran, who somehow managed to get rid of the Moe attack.

(How did she get out of Moe so quickly? I'm jealous...)

Ran quickly turned around and flew to me. Chen also ran over to me. When they both got close, they leaned over my body.

Ran asked, "Are you okay? Sorry I practically pushed you into the ground."

"I'm so sorry you almost got sucked into the pentacle" apologized Chen.

"It's okay. Thanks for helping me out" I said nicely.

(Fuck you. Chen, thanks to you, I almost got raped. And Ran, you almost killed my back.)

"Fufufu, well Ken, couldn't you have just flew away from the pentacle?" said a voice behind me. Ran and Chen appear to have their eyes wide open, and their jaw dropped.

(Who the hell said...)

Looking up, I saw the face of the youkai of boundaries, Yukari.


	48. Supremacy Chapter 8

**Spirited Away**

Third POV

Ken lied on the ground shocked, looking at Yukari's face with bewilderment. Ken begins to sweat, ignoring the grass tickling his bare skin as a light breeze combs the meadow. Ran and Chen are also staring at Yukari with surprise.

The sun gleams over the four with its orange rays, signaling that it is still morning. Ken is beginning to shine in the sunrise due to his sweat.

Yukari smirks at Ken while looking at him. Her face is free of wrinkles and crow's feet, making her look like a young teenager, despite being over a 1,000 years old.

She is standing right behind Ken, bending over to look at him whimsically. She is only wearing a white inner simple dress-blouse made of light and thinly veiled cotton, reaching all the way down to just above her knees.

"My, why are you all staring at me like this?" said Yukari sweetly, glancing around. Focusing her attention on Ran, she asked "and don't you have something to do?"

"No Mistress, you didn't assign me anything to do today, except for the...cereal puzzle" nervously said Ran, her gaze still fixed on Yukari. "We're sorry Mistress, it's just that you are up early. This is much earlier than the time you usually wake up."

"Well, we do have a guest here. I have a reason to wake up early and freshen up" replied Yukari. "Don't I smell nice?"

Yukari sat on her knees behind Ken's head, and brought out her arm. There is a surprising lack of hair on her limbs as she put it right next to Ken's nose. She feels a slight sucking sensation from Ken's nose, indicating that Ken is sniffing Yukari.

Yukari smiles and brought back her arm, feeling the spot where Ken sniffed it. "Do I smell nice?"

Ken nods, however, while looking at Yukari, his eyes show fear. Ken knows that it was Yukari who incapacitated him last night, with his sore back as evidence.

"Why don't you speak? You're our guest, but it's like you're afraid of me" said Yukari with a teasing voice. "Was last night too much for you?"

Ken's body became petrified after Yukari asked her last question. He says in fear, "so it was you. M-My back is still sore from last night. And I was under a lot of pain."

Yukari sighed, and begins to play with Ken's hair with her fingers, twirling them around. "I was merely measuring the training your body underwent when you were drilling with Meiling. It looks like she didn't do a really good job. But it's a start, as least you can fly fast."

"It's like you ignored my callouses I built up with the training with that spell card."

"Maybe that's it, I tend to ignore an opponent's defense via border manipulation, even hardened skin. Maybe the gate guard actually did harden your body."

"So you didn't try to kill me?"

"No. What would be the point of bringing you into Gensokyo if I was going to kill you later? That wouldn't be fun" replied Yukari with a slight giggle.

Ken begins to be more at ease around Yukari, his body began to finally relax and his muscles no longer contracting.

"My boy, you hair is coarse and dirty. Even a little bit singed at the ends" examined Yukari while playing with Ken's hair. She stopped and stood up, looking at her house. "Would you like to take a shower in our home?"

Ken nods and slowly sits up, wincing at his sore back. "I would feel much better if I can take a shower. Wait, I don't have any clothes to change into."

"That's okay, I'll get you some new clothes for you to wear" said Yukari, before slowing walking away towards her home.

Ken stood up, he stumbles over a little bit, but he catches up to Yukari and walks with her.

Both Chen and Ran still stare at them walking away towards their home.

"Ranny~, why doesn't Yukari use a gap?" whispered Chen, breaking the silence.

"She's being courteous since we have a guest. She's leading Ken into the house so he knows where he goes" replied Ran discreetly.

"Ranny~, may I have some cereal?" asked Chen in a childlike, yet yearning voice.

"When Ken gets back from his shower, you may" replied Ran.

Both Ran and Chen begin to also walk back towards their home, not caring about the hole in the earth created by the evil hand that Chen summoned.

Just entering the kitchen from outside with Ken, Yukari smiles, hearing the conservation that Ran and Chen had without them knowing it via a very small gap.

"So, how did you get this house? It's like you got it straight from my world" asked Ken, looking at the kitchen appliances.

"I did. I used a large gap underground to transport it from its original location to my domain. Then I placed several borders around the home so that everything would work properly. From electricity to plumbing, you humans make it so complicated to work with these devices" explained Yukari.

The two began to walk upstairs, Ken notices the carpet floor his feet are touching, giving him a nostalgic feeling.

Seeing the picture frames on the walls, Ken asks "do you have a camera?"

Yukari nods, opening a gap and taking out an old camera. It seemed to be from the 90's as Yukari lets Ken examine it.

"I would get a better camera but I do not have what you humans call a computer and a printer" said Yukari, sighing, before taking the camera away and gapping it away.

Finally, the two are upstairs and are beginning to descend down the hallway. There are doors with door handles, and others that function by sliding. It's like a bizarre mix of modern and traditional housing, as the wooden sliding doors with paper clearly stand out from the dark wooden doors with handles.

The two arrive at a door with a door handle, Yukari opens and pushes it. It reveals a large bathtub and shower combination with sliding glass mosaic covers for privacy, and a sink of marble with various wooden cabinets below the sink. In the bathtub/shower combination, you can clearly see a bar of soup, slightly eroded away with complementing shampoos, conditioners, and loofahs.

Ken believes something is missing as he glances around. He knows that you don't need to use a toilet but there is something else. Ken realizes that a mirror over the sink was missing and gets slightly irritated.

"Isn't there supposed to be a mirror in a bathroom" asked Ken.

"Ahh Ken, you should take the time to explore, do I have to tell you everything?" replied Yukari jokingly, before stepping into the bathroom. The floors was patterned tiles with colorful rugs at the sink and bathtub. Yukari partly slides out a drawer from under the sink and pushes a hidden button.

On the wall above the sink, the wall slides down to reveal an indent that has a mirror in it. Yukari primps her hair a little bit before pushing the button again and sliding in the drawer.

"Is that necessary?" asked Ken sarcastically.

"What? I'm not conceited but I like to look at myself without steam getting in the way" replied Yukari, before leaving the bathroom. "Alright, go ahead and take a shower in this bathroom. I'll gap the clothes during your shower" said Yukari, before walking down the hallway and going downstairs.

Ken watches her go on her merry way, while shaking his head, chuckling a little bit.

**Ken's POV**  
(Really? You need a button just for that?)

(It's not like you're going to look at yourself anyway right after a shower. The only thing that could be disturbing about steam in a bathroom is mold. And I don't remember mold being grown in Gensokyo.)

(Then again, Yukari just gapped in the house herself. It's not like she would make any changes to it.)

(Meh, Whatever.)

I walked into the bathroom and closed the door behind me, wanting privacy that could easily be intruded.

I locked the door via a button on the knob by pushing it in and began to strip down.

I felt my hair, trying to find any trace of my hair being singed. I couldn't find any trace of it, especially since I have black hair.

(My hair singed, bullshit...it's not like spell cards can actually burn you...I could be wrong, but I don't wanna find out yet. And it's not worth the trouble of getting that mirror to help me look for burnt traces of hair.)

Once I'm naked, I walked into the shower and began washing myself.

(Is that Head and Shoulders?)

I grabbed the large, white bottle that was on the sidelines of the bathtub, as it read "Head and Shoulders: Dandruff Shampoo/Conditioner."

(Well, Yukari does have good taste in getting Shampoo, but I much rather prefer the AXE brand.)

(Ah well, Head and Shoulders does smell nice.)

Opening the cap of the shampoo, I poured a few drops onto my hand and began to lather it into my hair.

Closing the cap of the shampoo, I put it back and washed my hair. Once the lather was gone, I began to use the bar of soap to wash my skin.

After a few minutes, I was out of the shower, having turned off the water. However, there is still a lot of steam in the room due to a very hot shower. My skin is still red from the hot water.

(Wow, I can already smell the fragrance on me. Not to mention the fact that I am also squeaky clean. Hey, I got an idea...)

(I remember that lame joke from the Sukima series with all the washtubs and all that. What if I made a funnier joke?)

(I could work together with Yukari and pop out of nowhere next to a Touhou character. Yukari would gap in a barrel of water or something, and I would have a bottle of shampoo in my hand. I could drag the Touhou character's head into the barrel of water and wash their hair with the shampoo. After that, I can run away and hide, letting them smell their hair, or get beat up.)

(I like the idea. Nobody in fanfiction has ever depicted a Touhou character using shampoo.)

(I WILL SAVE THE WORLD OF GENSOKYO FROM THE DANGER OF DANDRUFF~! I love being dramatic sometimes.)

(Now where's my clothes? Speaking of clothes, what did Yukari get me? Ah, there they are, with right on top a towel. Nice.)

On the sink was a pile of clothes with each garment neatly folded, with right on top a green and white striped towel.

(Now I can actually dry myself.)

After wiping myself dry with a towel, I began to look at the clothes, unfolding them and putting them on.

(Weird, it's like they are my clothes.)

(Hey wait a second, THESE ARE MY CLOTHES.)

(Has Yukari been raiding my house recently?)

Having put all my clothes on, I looked at myself. I was wearing a light blue American Eagle shirt with brown khaki shorts.

(Well, there's still a lack of shoes, but that's fine with me. Wait, what's in my pocket?)

Reaching in my right pocket, I pulled out my spell cards, that has a post-it note stuck on it.

(Well, spell cards will always stick to you, what if I was naked the whole time?)

(What does that yellow post it note say?)

Pulling it off, It said as I read it, "Ken, when you are done taking a shower, come downstairs to the kitchen, we have something to discuss. -Yukari"

(Sounds important, if it involves going back home, I'm not sure if I'm ready for that yet, I still want to stay in Gensokyo. It's fun.)

(Well, time to go downstairs and see what's so important for Yukari to actually write something and put it in my pocket.)

Unlocking the door by turning the knob, the button no longer inside the knob, I pulled the door towards me and walked out into the carpet hallway before closing the door behind me. Some of the steam has rushed out of the bathroom.

(Wow, the carpet feels nicer all of a sudden.)

I began to walk downstairs, while my skin is turning back to normal. My back no longer ached thanks to the relaxing shower, and I feel more refreshed than ever.

However, once I made it to the kitchen, I felt a sudden chill, as I began to have goosebumps with my hair sticking up on my skin.

(Well this is what I get for taking a shower. Then again, I never really take the time to properly dry myself.)

"I'm sorry. Is it too cold?" asked a voice far beside me. Turning around, I saw Yukari smirking at me while sitting at the table with Ran and Chen. Chen is happily eating a bowl of cereal while Ran had a defeated look on her face, lightly facepalming to herself with her elbow on the table. Yukari had her elbows on the table, her hands interlocked in the air, as if she was analyzing me.

(Well she is a growing girl. She needs her damn calcium, no matter how old she is.)

(By you smirking, that must mean you're making the room cold itself. I never did feel wet when I came out of the bathroom. What's the point of making it cold down here?)

Putting her fingers apart, Yukari twirled her finger in the air, a spark came off of her finger before she stopped and entwined her fingers back again.

All of a sudden, the warm began to be warmer, and a lot more comfortable as I slowly no longer have goosebumps.

(Oh, thanks. What was the whole point of making the room cold?)

"Ken, why don't you have a seat. Fufufu~" giggled Yukari, putting her hands below the table. Suddenly, the chair on the opposite side of Yukari's table pulled in a little bit. A second later, it pushed back just enough for me to sit down.

(Even if it's warm here, it's still very uncomfortable, especially since Yukari sounds like Chris Hansen. I hope she doesn't find out what I have been doing to Flandre even though I was only copping a feeling.)

Hesitantly, I sat in the seat. Just as I was about to scoot upwards towards the table, the chair was already doing it, while I felt a pulling sensation, then it stopped as soon as it got close to the table.

(Jeez Yukari. It's already creepy enough. I bet you weren't feeling like P. Diddy when you woke up in the morning.)

Unfortunately, Yukari doesn't look the least bit tired at all, but she is still only wearing the dress-blouse.

(It also feels kinda weird that you don't have your hat on.)

"Now Ken, I have an important job for you do tomorrow. But it's going to be all day with me, Ran, and Chen. So you won't be able to come back to the SDM for a while. But I will tell the maid that you can come back to her after the banquet tomorrow?" said Yukari.

(Job? Already? Banquet? What Banquet? I'm confused.)

"Banquet?" I asked.

"Reimu is having a banquet at her shrine tomorrow evening, but there is an incident going on. We need to stop that first before we can have some fun" replied Yukari.

(There's an incident? I don't remember, and I have a feeling it's not the moon incident. That's too soon.)

"An incident? I don't remember-"

"A fog is covering Gensokyo right now, causing everyone to have parties. If we don't stop that fog, resources will run out and everyone will die out soon. And that's no fun if I want to have fun. Fortunately, I know the one who's behind this. This is entirely based on stealing wine from your...friends" interrupted Yukari.

(That sounds familiar. Who can...Oh, Immaterial and Missing Power. I never really remember that game, it's somewhat obscure, now that everyone from my world is playing Universal Natural Law.)

(I still wonder how Suika ends up living at Reimu's shrine. It's kinda weird for a drunken oni to live in a youkai exterminator's home. Complete opposites right there, but they say that opposites attract...not like that though. But I still remember a way Reimu uses to make Suika sober. A very disturbing way...)

(Wait..."and that's no fun if I want to have fun..." That's kinda redundant.)

"Ehh, don't worry about it. I'm pretty sure you also know that nobody here in Gensokyo takes anything seriously, except for a certain someone" I said.

(And that's why she moved to Gensokyo in the first place.)

"And what's my job?" I asked, not liking the silence other than Chen eating her cereal.

"I will tell you that when I need you tomorrow. I hope you don't mind carrying something heavy" said Yukari. "But that shouldn't be a problem. Is it?"

(Carrying something heavy? Psshhh, damn spartan Meiling drill sergeant sadistic training.)

"No problem" I replied. "Since it's tomorrow, and it's morning right now. What are we going to do?"

"You, are going to tell what this box is supposed to be" said Yukari, before pulling out a large, rectangular white box on the table.

On the face that is facing the ceiling, it has three big silver letters on it, "Wii".

(What? An Nintendo Wii? You don't know what an Nintendo Wii is?)

"That's a box that contains the Nintendo Wii. A gaming console. You never heard of it before?" I asked, somewhat surprised.

(Come on! Everybody has heard of it. Even if it's losing out to other consoles last time I heard.)

Yukari shook her head while Chen momentarily stopped eating, paying attention to the box on the table. "I have heard of it a few times, but I never figured out what it is. The only gaming consoles I heard of are the XBOX 360 and the PS3."

(Unless you only visit the U.S.)

"Wait, it's really big in Japan" I said.

(I think.)

"I never really visit Japan, a lot of people over there are obsessed with that dancing game and studying. BORING~" sung Yukari loudly. "The U.S is more entertaining~!"

(Dance Dance Revolution? Wow...Japanese people like eurotrash music...haha.)

"But you never heard of the Wii there or the U.S?" I asked, still doubting her.

Yukari shook her head, while Chen reached her hand over the box. Ran responds by slapping it, making Chen draw back her hand quickly, holding it in pain.

"No. Eat your cereal first. Play later" said Ran harshly, while Chen grimaced and continued to regretfully eat her cereal.

(Eh?)  
"I'm not hungry anymore~" whined Chen, with her mouth full.

"Don't waste food in this house. That's BAD" replied Ran. Yukari gives her a funny look, as if Ran never acted like that before. I also gave her a funny look.

(Wow Ran. I never seen you treat Chen that harshly. Maybe she'll change and Chen will turn into a moe-blob. HAH, that will probably never happen.)

(Besides, can't Yukari just gap in more food easily?)

"Err~, hey Yukari. This game console is the one you would plug up to a TV. I'll set it up for you" I said, trying to get out of the uncomfortable.

"I'll show you where the power outlets are" said Yukari hurriedly, grabbing the Wii box and heading into a room under the staircase. She forgot to push in her chair, as she left in such a hurry.

(We think alike. Why am I still at the table?)

I got up and left the room in a matter of seconds, also forgetting to push in my chair. Last time I remember, Ran was focusing intently at Chen with an irritated look while Chen uncomfortably ate her cereal.

(I have a bad feeling about this...)

(But now is not the time for...holy cow.)

Turning to my left was literally a huge entertainment system, with large, black surround sound speakers all over the room, DVD, and Blu-Ray Players, an amplifier on the left, and three empty shelves on the right wall beside the entertainment system. In the middle of the entertainment system was a 70-inch SONY LCD Television.

(Of all the homes that are pimped out, Yukari's has got to be one of the most. Especially since she lives in a backwards society.)

Scattered in the room beside the walls are some sofas and loveseats, with remotes seen on the end tables next to the couches. In the middle is a really big rug resembling just a random pattern. The floor itself is wooden and clean, as the light cleanly reflects off of it.

(Oh god, this house is awesome.)

"What do you think?" asked Yukari, taking out the wires from the Wii box onto the rug.

"I think it's beautiful. You sure picked a nice home" I commented, knocked out of my trance.

"Thank you. Now can you help me set this up like you said you would" said Yukari, becoming impatient.

(At least I'm not in that room where tension seems to be happening between the two most unlikely people.)

I rolled my eyes and walked over to Yukari, helping her set up the Wii, while having trouble plugging it in to the TV and a power outlet.

(Yukari needs an accessible surge protector. There's only so much space my body can go through.)

Finding a place for the wiimote charging station was easy, there was a power outlet right next to an end table.

Putting the sensor bar below the TV and connecting other wires, I finished, the only thing left is to get the wiimotes, look at the games, and turn on the console.

"So Ken, is this console worth all the hard work we did, spending two hours?" asked Yukari, sitting with her legs crossed on a loveseat.

(Woah Woah Woah...Three hours? I don't remember spending that much time.)

"Three hours?" I asked, confused. Yukari pointed somewhere upwards. Looking at where she is pointing at, I see a digital clock, with the time in red reading "1:24."

"No way...there's no way it can take that long to set up a console" I said, doubtful.

"You got stuck in my entertainment system while you were trying to plug in something to my TV" said Yukari. "You're so big and clumsy."

(Oh shut up, I'm taller than you, no wonder.)

"Alright, let's get those wiimot-...where's the wiimotes?" I said, looking around.

"I wonder how you people play games with...these kind of controllers" said Yukari, holding up two wiimotes and examining them carefully. She begins to play with the safety strap attached to them. The Wii nunchucks sit beside her on the loveseat. "This is a strange way of button arrangement. This will be interesting."

(Well that's because it's designed for movement.)

(Alright, what games do we have here?)

I looked down on the rug as the two Wii games were sitting next to each other.

(Let's see, Wii Sports, that always comes with it...woah woah woah! Trauma Center: Second Opinion? That game is basically the entire reason I wanted the Wii. That came in the box?)

(Speaking of boxes, where did Yukari get it anyway?)

"Hey Yukari. Where did you get the Wii box?" I asked.

"It came with the entertainment system. I never knew what it was for so I just put it aside" said Yukari, playing with the wiimote like she's driving.

(What house did you get? If it comes with free stuff, then DAMN!)

(Okay, enough playing around. Time to test this Nintendo Wii.)

"I see. Yukari, hand it over" I demanded, reaching out my hand towards the wiimote she's playing with.

Yukari looks at my hand and stops playing with the wiimote, before giggling lightly. "Oh come on Ken. You have to be nicer than that. Whose the person welcoming you into my home, hmm~?"

I sighed, shaking my head.

(Fine, if that's how you want to play it.)

"May I have the wiimote please from the person who beat me up for no reason last night?" I asked nicely, while emphasizing the part at the end.

"Oh, Ken's getting smart" teased Yukari, before handing out the wiimote to me. I promptly took it and pointed it towards the console on the floor before pushing the power button.

(Eh? The TV isn't showing any display, but the console is on. What am I missing here?)

While I seem to be in a panic, Yukari calmly sung "Ken~, you're not so smart now~. You forgot to turn on the TV~. Fufufu."

(I hate your sing-song accent, because I always know that you are probably toying with someone with an accent like that.)

"Okay. Where's the remote for the TV?" I asked, looking at the end tables, until I spotted the only remote control that had a SONY logo on it.

"I'm not tell-."

"Found it" I said, interrupting Yukari's singing. I smirked a little bit, since I just saw a short second of Yukari being unhappy with my timing before turning back into a whimsical smile.

(Okay, power button.)

Pressing the red power button at the edge of the remote towards the TV, I saw a green light blink on at the bottom right corner of the TV, followed a short click sound.

After waiting a few seconds, the TV immediately brightened with a sitcom on, the channel being FOX56.

(FOX56, that must mean she got this house from Lexington.)

"Uhh, Yukari. Where exactly did you get this house?" I asked.

"Some place called Andover. It looked very nice" said Yukari. "By the way, I only use the TV to look at the news. I don't understand the jokes these TV shows give. Your world is messed up."

(Andover? That's like one of the most richest communities I know.)

(If you watched the news, you should have heard of the Wii at least once.)

(Alright, that's enough. Time to look for the input connected to the Wii.)

Pressing the input button, I immediately saw the "game" input in a menu that is otherwise ambiguous. SCrolling down with the arrow buttons, I highlighted the game input and pressed the enter button.

(Success.)

I threw the remote towards the couch, but not without Yukari yelling "HEY BE CAREFUL!"

(You'll be fine.)

Ignoring Yukari, I saw the black warning screen on the TV, before the button urges me to push the A button.

I did so, and immediately the screen brightened to a white, square-like menu. Yukari begins to stand up off the love seat.

(Perfect, let's have some fun.)

And so we did. We created our own Miis or our character representations first. Yukari didn't like how she looked completely different from her Mii. I named mine with my own name, but Yukari made her Mii name more extravagant and called it "Mona Sukima." Yukari was amazed for the console to be so interactive, while I was used to it. We first played the Wii Sports game, and that was pretty much the only thing we did. I always beat Yukari in virtual tennis and boxing, but she beats me in Bowling and Golf. She commented how these sports seem lazy, which does seem to be true when you are used to fighting a lot. Ran and Chen never joined us, they were probably still in that same room, neither of us heard them move. We continued this for many hours without taking a break to get food or drink, until I fell asleep on the couch while Yukari practiced playing golf on the Wii, usually getting a Par or above.

**Remilia's POV**

(It feels good to be out here in the night.)

(I'm the queen of the night, and therefore no one can take that away from me.)

I sat on the ground, looking at the flowers the gate-keeper had taken care of. I had trouble looking at them, a fog was in the way.

(That fog is annoying. I want it to go away.)

I swiped the air with my claws, but it wouldn't go away.

I flew out of the fog, while crossing my arms, becoming irritated.

I looked out into the distance, seeing various locations lit up with lights, accompanied by obscure noises.

(They sure like to party. I wanna party too, it looks fun over there.)

(But, as the queen of the night, I must recover and go to sleep.)

(So I can continue my reign of this domain.)

I smiled and flew to the mansion doors, already opened ever since I went out.

Landing on the ground, I walked into the mansion as I yawned, read for bed.

"Oh, the vampire passing by there. May I borrow a bit of your time?"

(Who's there?)

I quickly glanced around, ready to pounce on someone, until I saw a lady, who seems to be sitting on something. Locking onto her with my eyes, I said "Who is it? I was about to sleep, too."

The lady simply giggled, covering her mouth with a fan. Examining her with my natural night vision, she seems to have purple eyes, long blond hair, and is carrying a pink lace parasol with her paper fan in the other hand. She is wearing a deep purple dress, with a pink mop hat on her head.

(Did she steal one of my hats? How dare she defile it with a red ribbon!)

Becoming impatient, I asked "How did you get in here?"

"My, are you impatient~" teased the lady, making me get more and more irritated. "Let's switch topics for a bit. You wouldn't happen to have any quality sake would you?"

(Eh~? Who does this lady think who she is? Asking me to give her sake, hmph!)

"Topics...Pretty inconvenient to switch it when there wasn't really one in the first place" I remarked, relaxing but still alert.

"Denki Bran."

"Brandy. What about it? I hope you're not going to suggest we drink the night away together."

(Especially since you have somehow intruded my home, getting past my strong senses.)

"Why do I have to drink with you? I came here for your brandy. Tomorrow is the banquet, after all~" sung the lady, leaping off of whatever she is sitting on and standing on my floor.

(Who do you think you are talking to? You dare take me lightly? I'll make you regret that!)

"Silly fool. I've no idea how you got in, but I'll drive you out of here" I said, before smirking. I began to crouch in position, getting ready to pounce at her.

"What could possibly be irritating your mood?" asked the lady, still casually standing here before me, even smiling.

(You have the nerve to smile at me like that? I shall kill you where you stand.)

**Third POV**

Remilia suddenly disappeared in a flash, blasting away the fog that came into her home. Yukari stands ready, however not really serious.

With a flick of her hand, Yukari immediately raised a red stop sign, as Remilia ran into it comically, the sign flicked back and forth. Remilia sat on her butt, still in shock before snapping out of it.

"You dare mock the queen of the night?" yelled Remilia boisterously, unafraid of uncouthly showing her pride since the SDM residents are fast asleep.

"But I didn't say anything" said Yukari, shrugging her shoulders and laughing. Yukari seems to have no intention of taking this battle seriously.

This made Remilia really angry, as she flew up in the air really fast. Remilia launched many red shards as she quickly flew randomly in the air while keeping up the barrage, aimed at Yukari. Yukari seems to look at her feet instead, dancing backwards while grazing the red shards.

Remilia smiles diabolically and circles Yukari, before placing her feet on the wall behind Yukari momentarily. She rebounds herself off of the wall and launches herself towards Yukari, red energy surrounds Remilia in a spiral.

Yukari did not expect this, and as a result, she was pushed forward in the air by Remilia's head. She stopped herself by sliding on the ground somewhat gracefully, and regained her composure. Remilia was also on the ground, crouching while laughing in an evil like manner.

"Don't take your eyes off of me, that could have been your last mistake" said Remilia, before pouncing towards Yukari, claws at the ready.

At the last second, Yukari gaps herself, disappearing into the ground before closing the gap. Remilia slashed the air instead, surprised that the lady has disappeared quickly.

"Hmph. Coward, no one can stand before me, the queen of the night" said Remilia, standing proudly where Yukari used to stand.

Behind Remilia, a gap on the floor opens, revealing Yukari twirling her parasol upwards while jumping out of the gap.

This caught Remilia off guard as she was launched into the air by the parasol, as Yukari is back on the ground. Remilia twirled in the air, before flying to the ceiling and latching onto it.

Right above Yukari, she rebounds off of the ceiling before launching herself towards Yukari. If Remilia were to hit her successfully, she would knock Yukari into the ground and make a red energy shockwave, able to make her unconscious.

But unfortunately Yukari saw this coming as she took out her spell card and declared "Border Sign! Quadruple Barrier!"

Yukari creates several overlapping square barriers above her head to form an impenetrable shield. Remilia runs into it and was deflected into the distance, however she stops herself in mid-air and gently claps her hands, creating 5 sigils in front of her towards Yukari. The sigils spin in place before each sigil unleashed 3 red energy bats. They seem to flap their wings while leaving a long trail as they quickly rush towards Yukari in a slight homing pattern.

Remilia let herself land on the ground before leaning backwards, her right hand suspended in mid-air, as if she was about to throw a javelin. Her right hand begins to gather red energy, before it generates a red glowing long spear. Up to about where Remilia's hand is, the spear is entirely barbed. The fog dissipates near Remilia, as she declares "Critical! Heart Break!"

Remilia stops leaning and throws it towards Yukari. As soon as she throws it, a red shockwave was emitted by the spear itself at Remilia's hand as it goes as fast as a laser. Red energy thorns begin to protrude from the head of the spear, becoming more fearsome, as it travels past the relatively slow red bats towards Yukari, while seemingly cleaving the fog.

Yukari had fired numerous blue kunai towards the red bats by swinging her fan before Remilia declared her spell card. Some of the bat bullets were canceled out by the kunai, but most of them still remained going very fast towards Yukari. The rest of the kunai disappeared once they traveled a certain distance.

Once the spear was launched, Yukari quickly opened the gap to suck in the spear and the remaining red bats.

While Yukari was doing that, Remilia was already above Yukari, with a spell card floating above her. The ground and the air around Remilia begins to somewhat deform as it begins to glow red. Yukari quickly notices and stops sucking in the red bats. She grazes past the remaining ones and ends up at the spot where Remilia used to be.  
Unaware that Yukari moved to a different spot out of the scope of her spell card, Remilia declared "Scarlet Sign! Red the Nightless Castle!" The surroundings appear to burn away by a huge glowing white aura with an intense red glow surrounding Remilia. A large line of red energy protruded from the aura as a sigil appeared below Remilia on the ground. Remilia cackles loudly while maintaining the spell card. Yukari gives her a funny look and laughs lightly, sitting on a gap with her legs crossed.

After a few more seconds, Remilia stops the spell card as her surroundings begin to look less and less deformed before turning back to normal. She quickly looks around and spots Yukari, casually sitting away.

"That was quite a show you put on~. Too bad I may actually have to get serious~" sung Yukari, lightly clapping.

Remilia smiled as red energy begins to surround her. Her hands are turned into fists, a more intense red aura surrounds them. "Good. Looks like I'm going to have some fun beating you, human!"

Yukari laughes, and says "this battle is over the moment you thought me a mere human!"

Remilia once again launches herself towards Yukari, her entire body surround by a spiral of red energy. Yukari sighs and stands up, ready to counter everything.

This fight did not go unnoticed. From the stairs are Koakuma, Sakuya, Meiling, Patchouli, and some fairy maids watching the fight while in their sleepwear. They know not to interrupt their mistress in her prideful fight, even if they know Remilia is more likely to lose than to win.

Flandre continues to sleep on her bed in the basement, missing the fight while dreaming of Ken dressed up as a teddy bear.


	49. Supremacy Chapter 9

**An Alcoholic Biscuit**

**Third POV**

It has been two hours since Yukari and Remilia have started battling each other. The dark room they have battled in is clearly marked with claw scrapes, small craters, and cracks. What was once a pristine room is now a mess.

Both Remilia and Yukari stand away from each other in a distance. Yukari looks weary, as the skin around her eyes begin to darken, due to a lack of sleep. Remilia looks bloodthirsty, even though she is tired too. A scrape can be found on Yukari's parasol and her right shoulder, while Remilia seemed to have gathered no wounds.

Yukari was battling passively the whole time, while Remilia was being aggressive, explaining the room's abysmal condition.

Remilia looks thoroughly surprised while looking at Yukari, while Yukari smiles jokingly, twirling her parasol around.

"You were able to withstand my assault for so long, but now you still dare to mock me?" said Remilia, her voice is a little hoarse.

"You were too predictable~. I have been putting up with your bratty assault for too long~. Should I stop it for you~?" sung Yukari jokingly.

"You...you can't be a human, I have fated for this battle to be won by me. Why don't you succumb to my might?" yelled Remilia.

"Simple. I'm not affected by your manipulation of fate, nor am I a human" said Yukari bluntly.

"Then WHO ARE YOU?" shouted Remilia ferociously. Her hands shook in the air violently.

"I am Yukari Yakumo, a wise youkai" said Yukari, smiling.

"Well Yukari, you should thought of the consequences before intruding my mansion" said Remilia. "because I am going to TAKE YOUR HEART OUT."

Remilia immediately jumped back in the air, her feet sticking to the wall nearby. She took out a spell card, while smiling maliciously.

"Midnight Sign! Bad Lady Scramble!" declared Remilia, before kicking off the wall with her bare feet. Red energy begins to surround her in a spiral as she is being launched towards Yukari, intending on headbutting her. Traveling like a missile, Remilia herself has become a deadly projectile. Sakuya at the stairs begins to get anxious, wondering if the unknown lady would sidestep and left Remilia hit the wall, leaving her vulnerable.

But instead, Yukari stood there unflinching in the way of the Remilia missile. She chuckles, as Remilia begins to get dangerously close. Yukari snaps her finger ominously in the air playfully.

Suddenly, a large, square-like, monolithic stone fell in front of Yukari, hitting the ground with cracks in the floor. Patchouli blinked once, taking interest in the sudden appearance of the monolith.

Yukari immediately, but playfully, takes some steps back before Remilia hits the monolith head first instead of Yukari. Her head cracks the very monolith standing there before it crumbles to pieces. Remilia landed on her feet, but clumsily fell back on her butt, holding her head in pain. Patchouli snickers quietly, while Sakuya sits at her spot anxiously, stayed by Meiling while nose-bleeding.

Remilia moans as the red energy that surrounded her in a spiral is no longer there, her spell card was horrendously interrupted and canceled.

Yukari whips out a fan and unfolds it as she covers her giggling mouth.

"Fufufu, my. Ready to ride some waves?" asked Yukari playfully.

Remilia stood up holding her head, with her eyes narrowed and her teeth clenched. She glares threateningly at Yukari, irritated at how she's acting so casually.  
"Hmph. See if you can truly break the Queen of the night" proudly declared Remilia, her body shaking and her head still held.

"My, what resolve. Too bad~" sung Yukari ominously, making Remilia raise an eyebrow.

Remilia sees nothing in front of Yukari, all is she doing is directing her fan towards Remilia. But nothing is coming from the fan itself, nor anything near Yukari. Remilia strains her eyesight to see if anything small is going to try and attack her, beginning to get disgruntled and confused.

Yukari smiles and folded her fan in one quick motion, and puts it in her dress.

"Coward! Where is your...Hng!" grunted Remilia, her eyes open wide and her arms wide apart in the air.

From behind Remilia, something had come out of a gap. A red, barbed, aura-like spear had struck Remilia through the chest. Then red bats begin to flap towards Remilia, but their journey was cut short by a flurry of knives, now stuck to the devastated ground. Yukari looks at the interruption and shook her head. Sakuya appears to be getting more restless.

"Was it too much of a heart break for you to be struck critically by your own spear?" said Yukari, grinning.

Remilia absorbed the red spear back into her own hands, leaving only a black burn on both sides of where the spear struck. Remilia grinned, as a sign of respect, putting her hand on the chest black burn. "Hmph. you caught me off guard with my own spear. So much for always hitting its mark."

Yukari took out her fan again and unfolds it in front of her face, giggling. "Well, aren't you amicable now?"

"I need my beauty sleep. I don't know how long we battled" laughed Remilia, relaxing.

Outside the SDM, a few strokes of sunlight hit some of the windows, barely illuminating the room. Patchouli, Koakuma, Meiling, and the fairy maids had already left to their respective rooms already to sleep away the few hours they had left before they must be awake again. Sakuya stayed behind, blinking at the sight of the extremely devastated room they are in.

"The sun is rising" commented Yukari, putting away her fan.

"No helping it. If it's just brandy, I'll share some" said Remilia, albeit regretfully. "Sakuya. I know you're there. Please get a bottle of Denki Bran ready for my guest her-...thank you Sakuya."

Already in Yukari's hands, is a bottle of Denki Bran, clean and free of dust. The knifes stuck to the ground seem to be gone as well, and the room doesn't look as devastated as before.

"Done, My lady Remilia" said Sakuya, standing beside Remilia.

"Really? It's fine? You've got a soft spot after all~" sung Yukari, examining the bottle.

The room was silent, for Remilia looked like she wanted to just wring Yukari very tightly. Yukari looked very uncomfortable in this situation.

"By the way, you are Sakuya, correct?" asked Yukari, trying to break the silence, looking at the maid.

"Yes I am. Why?" asked Sakuya.

Yukari sighed, as much as she wanted Ken to stay with her and help her clarify some more modern conveniences, she already said he can return to the SDM. "I believe that you know Ken?"

Sakuya seems to have brightened up a bit and looked surprised, before blushing a bit. "Ken? Yes, I know him. I don't know where he is right now..."

Sakuya's voice seemed to have went from excited to trailing off, as Remilia raised an eyebrow and Yukari giggled a bit. Sakuya looks down, feeling embarrassed.

"Well, Sakuya, Ken will be with me for the whole day tomorrow, or rather today. I'm not going to go into detail why I have him, because it's none of your concern. At the banquet tonight, Ken will be able to come back to the SDM. Don't be surprised though if I need him" said Yukari.

Sakuya absorbed every piece of information from Yukari, but became confused. "But...only me and Remilia gotten invitations to the banquet. There was no invitation for Ken when the shrine maiden came around for dropping off invitations."

"Oh, don't worry about that. We have that covered" replied Yukari.

Yukari stretched her arms in the air and yawned loudly. Remilia narrowed her eyes at the sign of disrespect shown by her supposed guest.

Yukari points at Remilia, and sings "that warm fire~...has taken your life and vanished~."

And right after she's done singing, Yukari disappears into the ground via a gap, turning in for the night with the brandy.

**Ken's POV**

(Oh wow. I'm up.)

(Whenever I expect myself to be awake, I always do. That's nice.)

I was sleeping on the couch after watching Yukari play with the wii for a long time. The wiimotes are on their respective chargers, while the wii is turned off, along with the TV.

I sat up rubbing my eyes groggily, when I heard steam rising, and the smell of eggs and bacon. I could practically hear the grease crackle, and the sound of the couch creaking.

(Leather? It feels like it. That nice soft but smooth touch. Yukari has a good taste in furniture, and it's comfy too. Unlike sitting on a small cushion on the floor.)

(Now why do I smell eggs and bacon? Not like it doesn't smell good. It smells wonderful and nostalgic.)

After rubbing my eyes, I looked to my left to see Ran cooking up sunny-side eggs on one skillet and bacon on the other on a stove. Ran seems to be knowing what she is doing, while Chen is setting up the table.

(You know? Cooking breakfast like that kinda defeated the purpose of eating cereal.)

Ran glanced back before quickly focusing back on her skillets. "Oh Ken, you're awake. Good morning!"

(You're awfully cheery today, especially the last time I saw you and Chen, it was not pretty. Now Chen is helping to set up the table? What the hell happened when I was asleep?)

"Good morning. What happened to eating cereal? That's supposed to be for breakfast" I said, confused.

(Maybe they ran out of milk because Chen drank it all? Hahahahahaha.)

"Chen drank all the milk we had again. After the banquet today, Yukari will have to go to your world to get some milk again" replied Ran casually, making me raise an eyebrow.

(The way you said that...does Chen drink all the milk everyday? That's one hungry cat.)

"Speaking of Yukari, where is she?" I asked, looking around, with no sign of Yukari anywhere.

(I mean...Who else can turn off the Wii console?)

"Oh, she must be sleeping. Can you please go and wake her up? It's almost 12:30 PM, we have a lot of things to do today" said Ran, cracking open a new egg to the skillet. "Go upstairs, her room will be all the way at the end, with a traditional sliding door. Chen, go with him."

"Okay, Ranny~!" exclaimed Chen before looking at me.

(Got it. Traditional sliding do-...Yukari likes to be old-fashioned?)

(Well she is keeping that one table, so maybe she likes the nostalgia.)

Following her directions, I went into the kitchen before going upstairs to the hallway. Chen is following closely behind me. I can still smell the eggs and bacon.

"So why are you with me?" I asked, now walking down the hallway towards Yukari's room.

"Just in case Mistress Yukari doesn't wake up" said Chen, grinning evilly.

(I don't like that smile. There just seems to be something malevolent about that smile.)

Soon, we made it to her room. The only thing that's in the way now is a paper sliding door.

(Just like at Reimu's.)

I was just about to pull the sliding door open when all of a sudden, I hear a croaking noise, coming from Yukari's room. The noise is complimented with some thumping noises, also coming from Yukari's room. I could feel the shock-waves with my feet.

(What the hell is that?)

I begin to get apprehensive, as the noises successfully wipe out any drowsiness in my body, as I was surged with anxious goosebumps. Looking behind me, Chen was also scared, her tails were frozen in the air, and her entire body began to shake.

"Wh-What's th-that?" stuttered Chen, shivering in place.

(As much as I don't want to right now, I need to open the door to find out.)

"I d-don't know. But be ready just in case...just in case" I said, repeating my words in fear.

(Oh boy...)

I reach out and grabbed the wooden ledge on the sliding door with a shaky hand. The wood felt relatively cold, while it sent a shiver down my spine.

I slowly pulled against the ledge, pulling the door. I anxiously looked in the growing slit trying to find any sign of anything unnatural.

All I saw was a room that was like Reimu, only it doesn't look as poor as the former. It's also less draftier. On the wall in front of me are two black pistols held up with the barrels crossing each other, while below it seems to look like the same taser I had before Meiling broke it.

(Woah...Yukari has guns, and that taser looks awfully familiar.)

(Uhh...that's the same taser I had. Let me get a closer look.)

A few moments passed, as I closely inspected the room for anything suspicious, the croaking noise and thumping seem to have stopped. Chen seems to be more relaxed as her tails aren't frozen in place.

(I really should check that taser out.)

"Okay. Maybe Yukari isn't in her room?" I asked, looking at Chen with my torso halfway turned towards the hallway.

"Maybe she's in the bathroom? nya~" said Chen, shrugging her shoulders. I almost felt my nose running warm for a second, making me raise my eyebrows.

(That nya~ was just beautiful...)

Looking at the door that leads to the bathroom, I saw that the light was on in there, and the door was closed.

(Maybe Yukari is just freshening up for the day?)

"I think she is in the bathroom. The light is on in there. Chen, check to see if the door is locked while I go look in her room for more things" I said.

"Okay~!" said Chen, before walking towards the bathroom.

I walked into Yukari's room, glancing around for anything unusual. But I mostly put my attention on the Taser I was walking towards to.

(Strange. What's with the lack of beds in this room? Doesn't Yukari like to sleep a lot?)

I took out the taser from its wooden handles and examined it.

(It feels like the taser I had too. I wonder if I can use it.)

"Yukari's not in the bathroom!" yelled Chen with a surprised tone.

(What the? If she's not in the bathroom, then...)

I suddenly heard the croaking noise and the thumping noises again, but this time it came from behind me.

The thumping feels very close to very feet, almost o the point where I can feel the force that is causing the dumping.

(I'm not sure if I really want to look the other way.)

The croaking got louder all of a sudden, then a very cold hand gripped around my ankle.

(OH SHIT!)

While screaming "AHH~!" very loudly in surprise, I turned around, pointed the taser towards the ground, and shot the cord.

I heard it jabbing into flesh before beginning to make a cackling noise loudly, the taser was doing its job. The cold hand released its grip but I still felt its spasmodic movements. The croaking and thumping noises have again stopped.

Looking down behind me towards the ground, I saw that it was Yukari who grabbed my leg, currently riding the lightening caused by the taser. She seemed to be already dressed up and prepared to go out. Yukari seemed to gargle while supposedly screaming.

(Ohh, thank god. You're not the grudge. You're more like Chewbacca!)

I saw Chen at the sliding door, who giggled before going back down the hallway, yelling "she's coming down in a minute!"

(Thanks for not really helping there Chen.)

After a few moments, the taser stopped and pulled back the cord. I placed it back into its place on the wall, no longer needing it.

(And this time, it's not broken.)

"Uuu~, don't do that again Ken~" whined Yukari while panting, still on the floor.

"Hey, if I didn't know you weren't a monster, I wouldn't have tazed you" I replied, chuckling a little bit. "Well come on, we need to go downstairs and eat our breakfast."

"Oh yeah, I must get more milk~! Okay, I'll be down in a few minutes" said Yukari, before yawning loudly. "Right after a few minutes of sleep!"

Yukari started to get comfortable on the floor, curling up. My moe barrier was almost crushed for a second.

(Oh hell no! Not after what just happened! I'm wide awake now thanks to you!)

(And how can you even go to sleep when you just got tazed? Youkai these days...)

"Nope, that's not happening. GET UP! We got a busy day!" I yelled, raising my voice.

"Oh yes~! The banquet. What a little, nice vampire to give us some wine before we set out on the long arduous journey~!" sung Yukari loudly.

(What the hell are you talking about? None of that I bet was related to the banquet.)

(Or is it? She could be drunk or drowsy for all I know.)

Yukari snapped her fingers in the air, before gapping herself to the kitchen. However, she landed flat on the floor tiles. I could still see her wincing in pain as she left the gap open.

(That's what you get for being lazy~!)

"Mistress Yukari!" asked Ran loudly, looking at her strangely at the table.

(She's done cooking? EXCELLENT~!)

I began to walk back towards the sliding door. Unfortunately, I accidentally walked into the gap, falling into the kitchen like Yukari.

(At least it's not a bana...OW!)

I landed with my head against Yukari's legs, and my legs on her head. We were both flat on the ground. If I could predict the faces of Chen and Ran during this moment, I say they are pretty surprised.

"Mistress Yukari!" yelled Ran somewhat despondently.

Soon at the same time, Both me and Yukari moaned out loud in pain before we got off of ourselves and seated ourselves at the table.

(That was one hell of a fall.)

Yukari scratched her head before closing the gap in the kitchen. "Uugh~, okay. Change of plans. We'll leave the wine here, then I'll tell you the rest. Ken, Ran, and Chen, you are all coming with me to help get the wine."

(Says the woman who was just drunk. But it seems okay so far.)

"Okay. Let's eat our...ooh, this looks nice to eat!" I exclaimed before beginning to pig out on my plate. Ran, Chen, and Yukari gave me funny looks before beginning to consume their meals. Each of our plates had a biscuit, two sunny-side up eggs, a strip of bacon, and a sausage. The dishes were accompanied with silverware and a napkin.

(Oh god that was delicious.)

Soon we were done with our meals, except Chen, who poked at her eggs. Chen whined, "I don't wanna eat anymore. Let's go already!"

Yukari had told us in the middle of our meals that the time is 12:46 PM, so we have some time left to be patient. We were all sitting there being patient with Chen, as she continued to protest.

(But eggs are good for you and good at the same time. Have you not tried them before?)

"No Chen. Don't waste-"

"Ah, Ah, Ah~! I got this" I said, interrupting Ran before going on a spiel about wasting food. She nodded before looking at Chen. Yukari seems to get interested.  
(Now this is how I do it when a kid doesn't listen.)

I stood up from the table, I felt Chen's eyes following me around as I grabbed her fork. I stabbed the egg just beside the yolk and calmly said "Chen, say Ahh~."

"Ahh~...blurgh!" grunted Chen as I stuffed the eggs in her mouth with her fork quickly, her cheeks begin to swell up since I was forcing eggs into her mouth. Ran and Yukari giggled lightly at this.

(It's kinda sad that you would laugh.)

"CHEW!" I yelled loudly at Chen, who somberly did as I told her too. With a loud gulp, she swallowed her eggs, and hyperventilated.

"Yukari, what time is it now?" I asked, walking back to my seat and sitting down.

Yukari opened a gap in mid-air and looked at it before closing it. "12:55 PM. We better get going."

(Again with the gaps, you're so lazy it's not even funny.)

(Then again, I just sat down. What a huge let-down.)

Yukari took out her fan and made a human-sized oval gap before standing up. "Let's go!"

The gap seemed to lead into a foggy forest that I can't really make out, but then Yukari, Ran, and Chen went into it quickly as they forgotten to push in their chairs.

(Well, here goes nothing.)

I stood up, pushed in my chair, and walked into the gap leading to a foggy forest.

(Jeez, it's really foggy here. I can barely see the trees.)

(It's also pretty cold, but not as cold as when that scarlet fog came in. Oh man that was really cold.)

I began to shiver as much of my skin was exposed to this environment.

(This is definitely the wrong clothes to wear especially in something like this.)

(Now's not the time for that, time to...what the? Where's Yukari? And Ran? And Chen?)

Already I found myself lost in the foggy forest. There's no one near me as I began to get confused and lost.

(It's like a whole new different environment. If only I could...)

"The transient fire~, vanishes by the hand of the strict wind~" sung a familiar voice. "Oh, the magician passing by there. May I borrow a bit of your time?"

(Is that Yukari?)

(It's coming from in front of me, I should get closer. I can barely see through this fog.)

"Hm, who is it? How did you manage to come all the way here?" asked another familiar voice coming from my left.

(I can't quite place who's voice that is. Hmm~.)

Continuing to walk forward, I begun to see an outline of Yukari in the fog. She seems to be standing there with her mouth covered with her fan. Her eyes seem to be looking straight forward.

Getting close enough, I confirmed that it was Yukari, however, she gave me a nasty leer and tried to whisper something. Instantly, she looked forward as if I wasn't there.

"What?" I whispered back, confused.

(What are you doing? You gave me a rather nasty look before.)

Suddenly I was pulled back towards the ground. My back hit the ground as the grip that held my shirt released me from its violent jerk, with a painful ping response.

(Ouch! My back still fucking hurts...goddammit.)

Looking around to see who pulled me down, I saw Chen looking at me with her head a foot away from mine. She gestured for me to be quiet and then looked at Yukari.

"By singing~" sung Yukari to the familiar voice.

I sat up, scratching my back before looking at Yukari. Beside me was Chen and Ran, apparently hiding for some reason, crouching on the floor as if they are ready to pounce.

(Why are we hiding? This fog is thick enough to begin with.)

(Then again, who am I to argue with the servant of Yukari here?)

"A drifter? Seems right enough" responded the voice, sounding more haughty than usual.

(Well, someone seems to be a bit full of herself.)

"I suspect you have some nice sake as well" replied Yukari, smiling.

(Straight to the point.)

"This isn't some bar on the outskirts. Who are you? If you're a drifter, try somewhere else" replied the voice, seemingly getting closer.

(I hear footsteps, is she getting closer?)

In front of Yukari, there's a faint outline that begins to be closer and closer, and more vivid in the process. Soon, I could see that figure clearly, and easily as she is Alice Margatroid. She seems to be carrying a book and hugging a doll to herself at the same time.

(Alice? What on earth?)

Before I could ask quietly, I was jerked back again by a grip on my shirt, making me lose sight of Alice. Ran seems to be pulling me from behind, a lot farther away than our last position.

(You are going to rip the fabric of my shirt if you keep doing that.)

After for a few seconds of my butt being dragged through the grass and occasional roots, we finally stopped in the fog. There seemed to be no trees around us, we were in a clearing. Looking behind me, I saw a small, two-story suburban like home, covered with white wallpaper and windows with shutters.

(Alice's house. It looks like she owns one of them ghetto houses. The second story is more like an attic than an actual floor.)

"Van Allen" said Yukari, projecting her voice so we could hear her.

(Oh right, the attention is on Yukari.)

"Wine" mentioned Alice.

"I came here to pick that up" said Yukari calmly, while anxiously demanding it at the same time.

(And of course, it's never that easy. Why did we have to move though? The fog still makes it hard to see.)

"That's too sudden. I'm bringing it to today's banquet anyway" said Alice sternly. "Wait, you're not even invited."

"It's not too sudden. Look, I've even brought a formal announcement form" said Yukari. I faintly heard a piece of paper unwrapping.

(I didn't see her carry that. And what's the point of a formal announcement form if there are damn invitations?)

"I'm not going to give my wine to a drifter" declared Alice, somewhat proud in her statement.

(Oh, You did not just diss Yukari. No matter the fake smile, that's what the strongest always do.)

"Are you sure about that~?" sung Yukari in a carefree manner, before her voice seems to be receding.

(Eh? Did you give up? That can't be...)

"E-Eh? Wh-Where did you go?" yelled Alice loudly.

(You sounded pretty scared there Alice. Maybe you shouldn't be so cold towards others.)

I smirked and chuckled a little bit, while Chen and Ran got up and gotten close to Alice's house.

(Eh? What are you girls doing?)

"Ken! Get over here!" whispered Ran, motioning for me to come. I got up and quickly got up against the wall on my left side in front of Ran.

"Why?" I asked.

Ran didn't answer me, focusing intently into the distance, while Chen looked at the door.

(Hey! I asked you a damn question!)

Suddenly, I felt a little vibration on the ground, before seeing a doll thrown towards us. It seemed to be abandoned, as it laid against the ground on its side.  
"That's our signal! Go, go!" whispered Ran loudly. Chen kicked open the door and immediately went inside, Ran soon followed. I went into the home, immediately creeped out by the number of dolls seen in the room.

(Jeez that's creepy, there's dolls on the couch, the coffee table, above the fireplace, they are EVERYWHERE!)

(The weird thing is, they are pretty much the same dolls in different clothing. It's like a damn Barbie factory!)

Chen and Ran seem to be messing up the room, like they are trying to look for something. "What are you girls doing?" I asked in a low voice.

"What does it look like we're doing? We're looking for the wine Yukari wants. Now stop standing there and help us!" whispered Ran, throwing dolls like crazy.

(If you say so, I already raided this house before. And it's still as creepy as ever.)

I heard danmaku shots being fired outside as I begun to help Ran and Chen.

(Looks like Alice is fighting back.)

However all I heard was danmaku shots, I didn't actually hear flesh hitting flesh. I do hear explosions, but not anything that's melee.

"Fufufu~, why don't you wanna let me get close to you? All I want is that bottle of wine~" sung Yukari in a berating manner, calling Alice a coward.

"Tactical Spacing!" yelled Alice immediately in response, before I heard more explosions.

(You sound like you rehearse that phrase.)

"Why don't you stop using those dolls to fight for you? Hmm~?" asked Yukari.

(BURN~!)

"Because I'm not going to do something stupid that you're trying to get me to do!" yelled Alice, before more danmaku shots were fired.

(You know, that's actually pretty smart.)

50 minutes later

I begin to hear less and less danmaku shots as me, Ran, and Chen checked Alice's house for the sixth time looking for the wine.

(Just like last time, nothing.)

We were getting frustrated, as there was no sign of a wine bottle in Alice's house.

"It's gotta be in here somewhere!" yelled Chen also in frustration, throwing a doll almost across the room. We're were now in the attic, as the doll Chen threw went out side.

(So all we did is trash her house, and we got nothing. That's nice.)

A few dolls wandered in through the same window that doll left through, they began to look at us in a death stare, before getting closer by walking.

(Uhh, I don't like the feeling of it getting closer.)

"Ran, why are those dolls walking towards us?" asked Chen, becoming more anxious and scared.

"Uhh~, we're still here. Let's get the hell out of here!" I said, retreating.

(There's no way I'm getting close to those dolls.)

(Although I probably shouldn't have left them behind.)

Rushing downstairs, I made it to the now messy living room with dolls everywhere on the ground. Stepping on them, I was almost out of the room when suddenly I was pulled down by my feet. Dolls cushioned my fall as I was continued to be held down by the dolls, I couldn't get back up.

"What the hell?" I yelled, when suddenly I heard an explosion above me.

Out of the doorway, I began to see Alice, constantly moving her fingers and ominously looking at me. "It looks like your friend ran away from me. What am I going to do to you for ruining my house?"

I begin to see two dolls behind her, holding metal lances pointing towards me.

(I bet this is as sadistic as you can get.)

Now they were getting closer and closer to me. The dolls pricked me a couple of times with their lances. Slowly, they began to draw back their lances towards my shoulders.

(Well shit, looks like I'm in a...wait, is that doll behind Alice carrying a bottle of wine.)

Squinting, I saw a faint outline of a doll in the fog holding a bottle of wine very close to her. I saw Alice bent down and take the bottle of wine in her hands.  
"If you were looking for this, I was about to take it to the Hakurei Shrine. My doll was always carrying it, I simply manipulated her to hide" said Alice, looking at the bottle of wine teasingly.

Alice said, "now, for trashing my house, I am going to-...URK!" Chen came at the right time to push her into the ground via forming a fetal position and charging at her. Alice was hit in the stomach as she continued to be pushed towards the ground. However, the bottle of wine was very high in the air. It could break if it was left unattended.

"The bottle! The bottle!" I yelled.

Suddenly a small gap opened, as a hand came out of it and grabbed the bottle of wine. The gap got bigger and out came Yukari, holding our objective. Ran was beside her, although she looked kinda burnt.

(Must have been the explosion in the attic.)

"Fufufu~, Ken, you worry too much. Why are you still on the ground?" asked Yukari, giggling.

(Now that I think about it, there's really no reason for me to be on the ground. The dolls aren't holding me down anymore.)

I got up and walked up to Ran, stepping on dolls on the way. "You should of ran away."

"And end up like you? I don't think so" replied Ran, as Yukari continues to giggle before saying, "see Ken? In circumstances like these, you need to be more smarter~"

(If you weren't so powerful, I would punch you in the face with your sing-song voice.)

"GET OFF OF ME!" yelled Alice, making me turn my head towards the voice.

"Come on. Let's go see our mutual friend" said Yukari, making me raise my eyebrows.

(You sound like you could be a head of some mafia.)

Walking with Yukari and Ran, I see that Chen, who also looks burnt, is holding down Alice by sitting on her. Alice's fingers are still moving, as if they had a mind of their own.

(What can she do in a situation like this?)

Chen seemed to look confused by the strange movement of her hands. "What are you doing?"

Suddenly, a large, purple laser knocked off Chen off her stomach. Alice got up and ran away into the fog.

Yukari made a tsking sound repeatedly as she shook her head. "Ken, please go get her."

(Well, I don't exactly know where she is, but I'll try.)

I ran into the fog on my own, running past the knocked out Chen who laid against the side of Alice's home. I begin to see Alice who is constantly running away.

(Okay...and NOW!)

I sped up very quickly, as I was suddenly in front of her. She knocked into me and fell down to the ground. Immediately I sat on her stomach and held her hands together to prevent her from controlling any dolls. Alice blushed a little bit at this maneuver.

(Eh? Where's your book?)

"You...you were with that witch that one time. Who are you?" asked Alice.

"Name's Ken. Nice to meet you" I said, grinning.

"Well Ken, can you please get off of me so I can go clean the mess you made?" demanded Alice, looking straight at her hands.

"Sorry, we're waiting for someone to talk to you."

"WHO?"

"Me~" chimed in Yukari. Alice give Yukari a glare then at me.

"I thought you ran away" remarked Alice.

"Tactical Spacing~" mocked Yukari, making Alice's face get redder. "And with this, I've taken the wine as well."

"'Wine as well', are you taking something else?" asked Alice, getting more confused.

"Well, let's see...how about that fragile looking biscuit?" said Yukari, now also making me confused.

(What biscuit?)

"Biscuit...? Why would there be a biscuit anywhere?"

(My thoughts exactly.)

"Or perhaps this locked grimoire?" said Yukari, holding out what seems to be Alice's book.

(Whoa! How did you get that?)

Alice's eyes widened and yelled, "Hey! Give that back!"

"Oh I don't know, perhaps I want to learn a few magic tricks as well~" teased Yukari, making me chuckle a little bit.

(As funny as this is, I don't think I like to see 'bullying' in Gensokyo.)

"Come on Yukari, it's not like you need that anyway" I said, getting Alice to look at me.

"Hmm~, Ken, are you just saying that because you're sitting on her like that? Should I tell the maid?" teased Yukari, making me get irritated. "Fufufu~. Fine."

Yukari tossed the grimoire towards me, I got off of Alice caught it, now standing up. Yukari made a gap in space, before saying "next stop is Youmu, then your former love Ken. I'll let you two talk for a little bit."

(Oh gee, thanks Yukari.)

Yukari, and Ran carrying Chen on her shoulder walked into the gap. It seems to lead to a withered tree.

Alice stood back up and held out her hand. I handed her the book and she quickly snatched it away, hugging it to her chest. She gave me a glare.

(She treats the book like a damn teddy bear.)

"Just so you know, I got you your grimoire back because I felt sorry for you" I said.

"Hmph. Thanks" said Alice, still tightly holding the book.

(This girl...jeez...time for a lie.)

"Marisa was right. You are mean and creepy" I said, before walking into the gap.

**Alice's POV**

(Marisa said that?)

I saw that man disappear into that gap before it was closed, I no longer held the dear grimoire as tightly as before.

(How am I mean and creepy? How ridiculous...whenever people get lost and end up at my house, I let them stay over at my house...but they always run away from the safety of my home at night.)

Sighing deeply, I began to walk back to my home, ready to clean up the mess that man made.

(Should I warn Marisa they are coming for her? I'll show him that I'm not mean!)


	50. Supremacy Chapter 10

Smells like Team Unfairness...Spirit

Third POV

There is a tree on a little hill. A ring of rope envelops around it with swaying cloths. Surrounding the tree are wooden planks, partly embedded in the soil. The wooden planks look white-ish and weathered, yet they still stand impetuously, especially with the little mounds in front of them.

In the distance are more trees, with more weathered decorations like the one particular tree.

The sun is up and out, and warms the area gracefully, uninterrupted by a fog.

Under that one particular tree is Youmu Konpaku, who is quietly mediating lotus-style. She seems peaceful, letting the breeze move her hair ever so slightly, if it weren't for the two swords by her side. One sword is longer than the other, and in their black hilts. One might be disturbed by the floating sperm-like entity beside Youmu, which is her ghost half.

Unknown in her purpose for being in a place ripe with death, she came here after cutting the vast gardens of the Netherworld.

It seemed very peaceful in the area, nothing abnormal was happening...until now.

A gap in space was ripped, with a ribbon at each end. If you were to look into the gap, you would see many red eyes looking straight at your soul. Four people came out of it. They were Yukari, Ken, Chen, and Ran. Chen and Ran no longer seemed as burnt as they were before, but they are still singed in a few areas. Quickly, Ken, Chen, and Ran ducked behind the wooden planks atop the mounds. Yukari stood there, looking at Youmu, before closing the gap.

"Wait, why are we hiding ag-" Ran interrupted Ken by looking at him sternly. Ken stopped whispering and rolled his eyes. Luckily, Youmu never caught it.

Yukari, opening her parasol and unfolding her fan, she walks to Youmu, until she is in front of her.

Youmu's eyes narrowed a little bit before returning into its once peaceful state.

Yukari took in a deep breath, before saying "Below the stone without a drop of blood~. Below the eternal stone~, oh, the half-ghost passing by there. May I borrow a bit of your time?"

Youmu's eyes narrowed again, and slowly cracked open, before opening them wide in surprise. She twitched from seeing Yukari in front of her. "Oh? Yukari-sama. Although it's the usual, you're always so sudden."

Yukari acts like she was taken aback by that comment at the end, and giggles a little bit. "My, what a greeting. Shall I tattle to Yuyuko? Thirty percent yes, eighty percent no."

Youmu looked confused, saying "I didn't even say anything bad~."

"By the by, you had some fine sake as well."

Fine sake? I'm not sure if it's fine, but I do have some for tonight..."

"De Broglie wave."

Ran shook her head at what her mistress said, leaving Ken confused.

It's unrefined sake. It's for tonight so I can't give it to you."

Then Youmu quickly grabbed her long sword and unsheathed it, before she cut something in the air. That something was threatening to hit Youmu at high speed. It seems to be a some kind of cinderblock, now cut in half.

When Youmu turned around to face Yukari, she saw nothing replacing her. Yukari before took the time to escape while Youmu was distracted.

The cinderblock pieces knocked into a wooden plank, before landing on the mound. The wooden plank showed no sign of standing down.

Then a figure suddenly jumped out from behind some of the wooden planks. That figure resembled Chen, with her arms outstretched in a threatening pose. Chen is trying to pounce on Youmu.

And quickly Ran does the same, but also throws Ken above Youmu. Ken seems to have been caught off surprise, because he's flailing his arms about in mid air, before descending towards Youmu.

First, it was Chen who reached Youmu, who directly points her blade's tip at Ran. Youmu used her hilt to knock back Chen with a lot of strength, as Chen was knocked in the head and was forced back past the wooden planks, breaking them along the way. Chen slid on the ground as her body begin to be stained with dirt.

Once Ran was in reach, Youmu stabbed her chest with her blade, using the momentum by moving her arms fluidly. Ran was unrealistically pushed back, and received no impale wound in the chest. She flew above the wooden planks, and bounced on the ground a few times before stopping.

Puzzled at first, Ken proceeded to descend towards Youmu.

Youmu was confused, she felt like she was forgetting something, as she tried to look around.

Reaching Youmu, Ken did a front flip, before it transformed into an axe kick that could hit Youmu. Just as she looked up, the kick connected with her face, and forced her body to go up against the tree by force. The leaves shook violently as a few leaves came down from the impact.

Ken used his foot to rebound off of her face. Ken landed a few feet away from Youmu, who is covering her forehead with her hand.

In Youmu's vision, it was a little bit more blurrier than usual, but she has her eyes set on Ken, who seems to have drawn out a spell card by his side.

"Seeker Sign! Ambush!" declared Ken before 10 globe bullets each came out of Ken's two flanks. They quickly rushed towards Youmu.

Youmu shook her head a few times before her vision became more clear again and backed off the tree. Youmu rushed towards Ken just as the globe bullets rushed towards Youmu. Youmu quickened her pace, letting the globe bullets graze past her barely. Ken begin to back up very fast as Youmu dodged his bullets and the distance between them is rapidly closing.

Youmu quickly crouched and slashed forward, also covering more than 3 paces in one step, then she jumped and rose up with an underhand uppercut with the sword. Ken grazed both of those slashes and quickly backed up as Youmu was still in the air in her leap.

A half of the cinderblock was on the ground behind Ken. Ken's foot hits it as Ken tripped backwards thanks to the cinderblock.

He desperately tried to crawl away as Youmu prepared to do an overhead vertical slash to Ken. She gave Ken an emotionless face as her teeth was clenched.

Just as her arms began to move through the air, Youmu stopped in mid-air. A stop sign had suddenly rose out of a gap to intercept her. Her face made full contact with the octagonal stop sign as her arms and legs were outstretched forward, just as her hand dropped her sword to the ground.

Ken tried very hard to abstain himself from laughing, due to the flawless timing of that stop sign.  
"Now, now, don't be stingy" said Yukari, popping up behind her.

"Oh man, do I feel sorry for you, Youmu" said Ken nonchalantly, before laughing out loud.

In a comedic style, Youmu slid down then off the stop sign. Youmu is blushing and looks awfully embarrassed, her lips are quivering, and his eyes begin to water. She sat on her butt, legs spread apart, and her arms at her side.

Youmu seemed to hiccup once, before with a broken voice, said "Sh-Shut up!" Youmu quickly got up and grabbed her sword, and began to charge at Ken making wild slashes in the air.

"Oh shit!" yelled Ken, no longer laughing before standing up and running, while Youmu continued to slash randomly with tears on her cheeks.

Youmu yells "stop making fun of me~!" This made Ken confused, before shrugging his shoulders.

Youmu keeps on running while holding a spell card, declaring "Human Sign! Slash of Present!"

Ken kept on running, but as he ran, Youmu took a step forward. But it was a big step, for she is already right in front of him. Ken was flipping in the air caused by the slash, yelling "Hey! No bloo-ARGH~!" It appears that Ken was the victim of his own spell card.

When the globe bullets changed to white disks and came flying towards Ken, Youmu declared her spell card. The disks kept rushing forward, before hitting Ken in the air.

"C-C-C-C-C-COMBO BREAKER~!" sung Yukari loudly, laughing.

Ken was on the ground, his body was literally smoking, as he could feel pain from the chest, where Youmu sliced. Frustrated, Ken yelled "There was no combo in the first place!"

"So it was a stingy combo~" teased Yukari playfully, sitting on her gap.

"She only got hit once~!" yelled Ken, his face turning red before struggling to get up.

During their argument, Youmu was giggling, cheered up thanks to Ken's misfortune. Ken finally stands up to see Youmu giggling at him, as her eyes look like they are closed.

"Well, aren't you happy now" said Ken sarcastically, before sighing.

"Yep, and thanks for the distraction Ken~" sung Yukari, holding something before her back.

Both Youmu and Ken say "Huh?" before looking at Yukari. Yukari reveals from behind her back Youmu's sake.

"And I finally obtain unrefined sake~" said Yukari.

Youmu looked shocked, staring at the sake she already lost.

"Youmu, Chen got your tongue?" asked Yukari, and for some reason making Ken face-palm.

Youmu is yet again dismayed by how she is never able to take on only one person. She clutched her sword tightly, and said "Are you coming to tonight's banquet, Mistress Yukari?"

"I'm going today. I wasn't invited, though" said Yukari, a hint of sadness in the last sentence.

"Then, please bring that sake with you" said Youmu, bowing as politely as possible. Although her ghost half seems agitated as it jitters many times.

Ken took note of that and comments "how bipolar" at Youmu, noticing the difference from her ghost half to her human self.

Youmu continued to bow with her back parallel to the ground, however the ghost half suddenly charged itself towards Ken.

Ken was oblivious to what the ghost half was doing, because he was paying attention to Youmu and Yukari's conversation.

"Wait, what time is...HURGH~!" Before Ken could finish, Ken was assaulted in a wild rush by Youmu's spirit half. Ken got launched into the tree, forcefully making the leaves rustle and leaving a big red mark on his face from hitting the bark really hard.

Youmu and Yukari giggle a bit as Ken falls off of the tree and hits the ground with a loud thud.  
Ran and Chen have just got up, unfazed by Youmu's counterattack earlier. Seeing Ken on the ground, they rushed to him quickly, making him stand up.

"Hey, did you two just get up?" said Ken, confused, supported by them.

The two nodded. Even Chen crossed her arms and said "she hit me by surprise, I didn't expect her to do that..."  
Ran also commented, "that stab she gave me put me in shock for quite a while. I couldn't even help my Chen..." before turning and crossing her arms.

Ken looked at Ran with great surprise, and said "wait, you said you got stabbed?"

Ran nodded, and explained how no matter deadly the weapons, you can't inflict any incisions or any cut for that matter, only bruises.

"So if I got slashed in my chest, I won't draw any blood?" asked Ken.

Ran nodded as she continued to look away.

"Wow, I feel like I just got a confidence boost against girls and their weapons" said Ken, before looking at the two. "But still, she knocked both of you all out. That's freaky..."

Ken looked at Youmu, examining the blade, thinking about how no matter sharp that is, it can only give bruises. "Hey, Youmu!"

Youmu looked at Ken puzzled, before smiling and covering her mouth, for she has trouble controlling herself from seeing Ken's really red face, caused by a sperm-like ghost rush.

Ken tried his best ignoring her laugh, with his fists clenched tightly. With a straight yet twitching face, Ken impulsively says "you're the most toughest stage five boss I have ever known."

Youmu stopped laughing and became confused, saying "Huh?"

"Never mind" said Ken, rolling his eyes and shaking his head, just before he remembered what he wanted to say.

"Oy, Yukari, what time is it?"

Yukari looked at the sky in response, as if she's ignoring Ken right now. She's actually opening a gap to a clock that will tell her the time.

Ken begins to get irritated, his face begins to get even more redder than it should be, before Yukari says "2:34 PM. That's good, we're early. Because the next one we will be visiting is going to take a while."

"Why's that?" asked Ken, rubbing his face.

"You should know. You made out with her~" sung Yukari.

"Huh? Oh, no wond-...HEY!" said Ken, looking at Yukari with anger. "Man, that's great. You never get privacy in Gensokyo. Never."

"I was curious~" whined Yukari sarcastically. "and you should know the layout of her home."

"Yeah I do...sorta..but that doesn't mean I know where her sake, wine, beer, whatever is" replied Ken.

"Either way, we're done here~. I'm also planning on bringing along someone else with me~, it'll definitely be lively. Youmu~" sung Yukari happily, making Ken roll his eyes.

"Yes, Mistress Yukari?" replied Youmu, picking up her other sword she left by the tree.

"Please tell Yuyuko I'm coming to visit" said Yukari, before ripping open a gap in space. "Come on Ken, Ran, and Chen."

"Yes, I'll tell my mistress that you are coming" said Youmu, bowing.

Soon everyone except Ken and Youmu have gone into the gap, Ken awaits hesitantly before looking at Youmu. "Hey Youmu"

Youmu stopped bowing and looked at Ken. "Yes?"

"Loosen up" said Ken, before jumping into the gap that closes by itself soon. Ken left Youmu confused, as she walked into the direction of the Netherworld, pondering what Ken meant by loosening up.

Meanwhile, at the Hakurei Shrine, Reimu is carrying a plate with two cups of tea. Sitting down on the shrine's porch, she began sipping her cup, like she has nothing else to do.

The shrine seems indifferent from what it usually is, even though today is the banquet, no preparations have been made.

Reimu, first taking a sip of tea, says "it's so boring~, nobody's here yet to help the shrine get ready for the banquet."

"Reimu~!" yelled a voice in the air. A girl wearing a witch's attire is seen in the air flying to the Hakurei Shrine on a broom.

"Oh. Marisa's early...as always~" said Reimu, sighing at the end.

Marisa sped to the ground, touching the ground with her feet and poofing away her broom, with an inquisitive smile on her face. Reimu comments, "Ah Marisa. You're early, we still have half a day left" said Reimu.

"I'm always early" replied Marisa.

"Well, you're only ever early for feasts and whatnot."

"I'm the always the first to arrive."

"Hey, that's not true! I'm the first."

"You're the zero-th, aren't you? Since the feast is at your shrine" said Marisa, rolling her eyes.

"Oh, whatever. I'm going to clean the shrine. Why don't you have some tea? We still have a lot of time left" replied Reimu, handing the other full tea cup to Marisa. Marisa shook her head. "Hey, don't you notice anything?"

"About what?" asked Reimu, putting back the two tea cups to the plate.

"Huh? About this strange energy. It's flowing from here, can't you tell?"

"Do you think so? Isn't that left over from the last feast?"

"Strange. Wouldn't this usually be a huge crisis?"

"This isn't that serious! I'm not sensing any danger from it."

"Maybe you're numbed to it from being here all this time. You still notice things elsewhere, don't you?"

"Uh, this isn't like you, Marisa. Have some tea, won't you?"

"Otherwise, is it you? Don't tell me..."

Marisa quickly poofs her broom, holding it like a gun. She 'shoots' it at Reimu, creating a single, large, green star that propels itself towards Reimu rapidly, with stars trailing in its path.

Reimu quickly throws out two ofuda forward with one upward and downward. The two ofuda together create a larger, glowing blue shield that blocks the star. The star splits into smaller stars, before disappearing altogether.

Marisa floats up the air, on the same level as the roof, taking out a spell card. She holds it up high in the air and declares, "Cosmic Sign! Shooting Star!"

Marisa poofs her broom, getting on it, before charging straight towards Reimu. Marisa and the broom glows blue, as a blue, large, round, ram-like shield appears in front of and partly around Marisa. The charge creates a wake of random, fast, and glowing white stars in its trail, dangerous if it hits.

Reimu seemed to stay calm in this situation. Before Marisa gets close, Reimu jumps to the ground and slides on it, creating a slight dust cloud. Reimu then rises in the air, just as Marisa gets close to her. Reimu back-flips, her feet glowing orange and leaving an orange trail. Her feet contacts the broom, and interrupts the spell, as Marisa is sent flying over the shrine, before landing just behind it. Reimu lands on her feet, as the random stars dissipate into nothing.

"I worked really hard on that spell card!" whined Marisa out loud as she rubs her head. "A lot of research went into that!"

"You're too flashy! You remind me of a certain, annoying vampire I don't wanna think about!" responded Reimu casually.

Marisa flew up in the air and got back where she was floating, smiling like a thief. She aims her broom at Reimu, holding it like a rifle, while Reimu gets ready to throw ofuda at her.

Meanwhile, Alice sits by herself at a table in her home, indecisive about going to Marisa's home to warn Marisa. A bottle sits on the table in front of her, giving off a distinct fruity smell with a hint of sweet potatoes.

It's been so long, but I finally came out with another chapter. I'm losing the drive to write the story, but it's all slowly coming back to me. Readers, please bear with me.

Also, I hope you enjoy ZUN's characters having new, original spell cards! Don't worry! Ken will have more! And some of his spell cards might even be upgraded.


	51. Supremacy Chapter 11

**One's Man Trash is Another Witch's Treasure**

**Ken's POV**

(So. I'm back here again.)

I stood with Ran, Yukari, and Chen in front of Marisa's home two yards away, near the trees. Her home seems to have vegetation out of control as vines grew on the walls, but nowhere near her windows.

"Ken, go in and see if the coast is clear" said Yukari, walking away to the side of Marisa's home. Ran and Chen followed her obediently, although they seem to be somewhat crippled. Ran clutches her chest in pain while Chen limps with her right leg.

(Well, I guess it makes sense. But I need an excuse..)

(I mean...why else would I be back in this house?)

(I'm pretty sure I don't want my sword back. But that could be the potential reason.)

(If I came with a reason related to Patchouli and her books, I think I would only get the so-called 'annihilation of love' response, thanks to her Hakkero.)

(Speaking of Patchouli, I wonder how her and this Patchcon business is going. It doesn't sound like she's going to last long though. I don't think Marisa ever leaves the library without stealing something...or not.)

(Why am I still standing here thinking? Even Yukari, Ran, and Chen are looking at me strangely.)

Ran, Chen, and Yukari each gave me a puzzled look. Their heads were poking out the side examining me like three porn stars acting as prisoners who escaped from their prison scoping out their drug dealer's hideout in a lesbian movie.

(That was a really weird simile.)

"Umm...we'll be waiting" said Yukari, before drawing her head in slowly, as she slowly became less and less visible before she was invisible. Ran and Chen nodded their heads at me and they too drew their heads in.

(Yeah...how you girls just did that was weird.)

"Okay, if you say so" I said, reluctant in proceeding with the task at hand.

(Now relax, all you're doing is visiting your friend's house again.)

No matter, I drew anxious while walking towards her door, seeing the lush yet invasive vegetation on the wall. However, I spotted something in front of her door. Seeing it only made more anxious, as my hand shook more and more, reaching out and grabbing what the thing was. I examined it, flipping the floppy thing around and such.

(This looks like a doll? This looks like Reimu, with the hair and clothes and everything...I think I'm going to keep this one.)

(Now how do I store it with me? Hmm...I know it's too big for my pockets...I guess I have no choice.)

Shrugging my shoulders, I unbuttoned my shorts and unzipped my zipper, before stuffing the doll down in my pants, before buttoning and zipping up my shorts.

(This better not give a big misunderstanding to anyone who sees this.)

Already I feel eyes attacking me from a certain point. Turning around, I see all three Yakumos looking at me awkwardly, before they drew in their heads at the same time, becoming invisible.

(I stand corrected, if they see me like this, they will shit bricks.)

(Now back to the task at hand.)

I stepped forward and knocked on the door three times with my hand. I stood waiting like an impatient guest, tapping my foot on the ground with my arms crossed as the seconds go by.

"Hey Ken~, how about the open window up there?" said Yukari, pointing upwards with her fan.

(Open window huh, thank god for that Holy Grail, only useful for breaking and drinking.)

I flew up and went in through the open window, some shards of glass were seen, but not enough to impede my progress through the window.

(Wow, I think this place got more cluttered with junk than the last time I was in Marisa's room.)

(Hmm? What's this?)

On a desk in Marisa's room are sigils, and papers everywhere on the desk, with a complement of open books. A doll that seems to look like Patchouli sits on her desk, ominously looking at me. What's scary about the doll is that she seems to be only half-finished, as there are various features missing on the doll like clothing and ears.

(Okay, the sooner we can find that wine, the faster I can get the hell out of here from that creepy doll. But right now, I need to test if she's here..but how...)

Walking over to the desk, almost tripping about three times before getting there in the crowded room, I examined the papers out of curiosity.

(Experiment not showing signs...Experiment not reacting to magic or fire...Use different sigil for refining...must steal more dolls from Patchy for further tests...what the hell?)

(It looks like Marisa is trying to research her own doll army. Should I help the SDM or not? Hmm~...)

(Oh well, I guess Marisa won't mind if I destroy this creepy doll of hers.)

I took the doll and looked around for the sword I used to use before. Seeing it laying against the bed, I took it, as it felt surprisingly light.

(It's been a long time since i picked this up, now it feels like a feather. Thanks to a certain sadist.)

I tried to find a clear space devoid of any junk, but since that's nowhere in this room, I can't use the sword.)

(Ah well, good bye sword~!)

I tossed the sword towards the bed, bouncing a little bit before staying. Then I proceeded the rip the hell out of that doll, with furious twists and pulling in frustration. Already, the doll was a mere mess of stuffing, seen everywhere in the room.

(That was some nice stress relief, especially after getting hit with my own spell card before.)

(Okay...now what? I still haven't tested if she's here yet...eh~, I'll just yell something random. An old meme is fine.)

Cupping my hands while walking towards the window, I tripped on my way, making a loud thud, before I quickly got back up.

(She seriously needs to clean her room.)

At the window, with my hands cupped around my mouth, I yelled "MARISA STOLE THE PRECIOUS THING~!"

I stood for a minute, again tapping the floor with my foot and crossing my arms.

(Well, no reply there. She must be somewhere. Time to get the three in here.)

Taking my head out of the window, I said "It's clear! You three can come in the house!"

"Who are you talking to?" said a voice behind me, as immediately I got goosebumps on my skin.

(Please don't be...Please don't be...oh it's just her.)

Yukari, Ran, and Chen were already in the same room as me, I saw a gap already closing behind Yukari, as I sighed. Ran and Chen appear to be already working on trying to find something, as they were digging through the junk.

(What would be the point of me doing all that just to check if you can do that?)

"Uhh~, never mind. Let's get to work" I said, before helping the two dig their way through the junk.

**Youmu's POV**

BGM:Clannad OST - Roaring Tides

(Uuu~, what am I going to tell my Mistress Yuyuko? I was so unaware of my objective that I failed to protect it back there!)

I stood in the garden of Hakugyokurou, in front of a sliding door that leads to Mistress Yuyuko's private chamber. She should be out shortly, but the more I wait, the more scared I become.

I stood shakily and anxiously, as the apprehension affects me and my ghost half, who is erratically moving around. Before me was like a pit of evil that immobilized me with its ominous gaze.

(Th-there's nothing to be afraid of...but I failed...)

(I was given a simple order but I couldn't do it. I failed.)

(Why? I couldn't do something so simple, I have disgraced my Mistress and my father.)

As I thought more and more despondently into this, my eyes kept turning to my swords.

(Why did Mistress Yukari have to interfere in my only humble, simple task? No Youmu, it's all your fault. You failed to do your duty. I am ashamed of you. Youki would even be more ashamed of you. Of course, my Mistress Yuyuko would just joke about it. But inside, she would be disappointed in lowly me.)

My gaze was fixed on my swords, as my legs begin to wobble.

(I don't even deserve to be Mistress Yuyuko's servant, I failed such a simple, easy task. Then Yukari have to go and mess it up with those three.)

(She's the one who's making me suffer...it's all her fault!)

I begin to think of Yukari more and more as the sole source of my problems. Even thinking of her name drives me with a lot of anger.

"Youmu~, are you still there?" sung Yuyuko from behind the sliding door.

"Y-yes!" I replied in fear, her voice unusually terrifying me more than usual and temporarily paralyzing my whole body for a few seconds.

"Hmm~? You may come in" said Yuyuko, allowing me to enter.

I hesitated, but I slowly opened the sliding door. I walked in unsteadily as I slowly closed the door. I didn't face my Mistress once throughout this endeavor yet.

I turned around and sat on a nearby pillow next to a kotatsu. I only looked down at the kotatsu, never daring to face my Mistress after failing a simple task.

"Youmu?" said Yuyuko in a concerned manner. My heart skipped a beat when I heard her voice, making me do a hiccup.

I couldn't speak to her. I felt like the very air I breathed was being sucked out of me, like I don't deserve to speak at all.

(I want to tell her! I want to tell her how it's Yukari's fault! How she made fail my simple task!)

(Why can't I do it? I feel like there's a really big lump in my throat! I need to try...)

"Youmu? You don't look...happy" said Yuyuko bluntly but not jokingly. Again I made a hiccup, as every time I heard her voice, the dread of her punishing me just increases.

(Of course not! I failed you!)

On the table, my palms began to sweat as the apprehension was doing its work, paralyzing me and tightening up my body.

I was ill-fated and unprepared when I heard those cursed six words that stabbed my heart from my Mistress Yuyuko: "Did you bring the sake, Youmu?"

In the silence that took place after she asked, I could hear my heart beat more audibly. It beat with so much force, so much I could feel my chest being pumped.

I sullenly looked at my chest, and became so horrified that it also held my neck in a tight grip. My chest felt like something was trying to come out of it. Every time my heart beats, my chest is attacked with so much more force, and my neck felt more and more gripped.

(Wha..What's going on? I can't breathe!)

I couldn't move my hands off the table, as my arms felt like they were in a snake hold, forever bound to the evil kotatsu. I wanted to hold my neck because it really felt like someone was choking me, and I wanted it to stop.

(Let me go! Let me go! Help!)

I was paralyzed to the core, my body won't listen to me, as I continued to look at my pounding chest. It felt like a blow each time my heart beats, as I endured.

(Help me! Help me, Mistress Yuyuko!)

My lips won't even move for me, feeling very heavy. No matter, I tried to speak out in my mind, but my pleas go on ignored.

(Help me! Help me! Why won't you help me?)

I wanted my Mistress Yuyuko to help me so badly, but the shameful failure of my task rings in my head, jeering "Failure! Dishonor!" for failing such a simple task.

(I deserve it. I deserve this bullying. I deserve the punishment for the shameful defeat I have sowed.)

When I resigned myself, my eyelids felt really heavy, as the vision of my painful chest begin to close on both sides.

Even when my body was fully paralyzed, I tried my best to shake myself out of this mess as my eyes were fully closed, and shouting "help me! Yuyuko, help me! I want to be free! I want to be fre-"

"YOUMU!" yelled a sharp, distinct voice close to my right ear.

Immediately, I opened my eyes, looking at my once pounding chest. I felt like I just fought a long battle. My neck begin to slowly open up, but I was still unwilling to talk.

I saw arms wrapped around my arms and chest, they were wearing silk, free and light, blue sleeves with large white ends. The hands were enveloped on my arms, the fingers spreading out.

I felt like there was a cushion on my back, comforting me in my despair. I felt hair tickle my skin lovingly, as I slowly pulled out of my apprehension.

I recognized those arms and the sleeves. The sleeves are a very high and fine quality, as only owners of mansions could own them, while the arms were soft, lithe, and cold. They were even colder than my body, even if I never let people touch me. I never give them a chance. Although, there's only one person I would allow such a freedom.

Yuyuko Saigyouji, the owner of Hakugyokurou, and my Mistress. The one who is hugging me and comforting me, my mistress whom I allow to touch me.

But I didn't get it. I didn't believe this was happening, I closed my eyes and opened them again, expecting an illusion. But I never felt nothing in return, I still felt the comforting hug that puzzled me.

(Why...why are you hugging me? My insolence does not deserve this comfort. I don't deserve this!)

My memories of my defeat were sound and still ranged out, yet, I also felt Yuyuko's embrace. My eyes began to emit tears as the stream flow to my chin, landing on my Mistress's sleeve.

"Youmu, Yukari took it, didn't she?" said a now soft, calm voice that belonged to my Mistress Yuyuko to my ear.

I didn't want to speak at all, so I nodded my head slowly, feeling too ashamed to speak. My short hair clashed against her long hair.

"I figured so. No one else could beat my Youmu in a fight" said Yuyuko charmingly, as she tightened her embrace on me.

Her words were disarming, taking me away from hating Yukari, and the despair I felt earlier. However my defeat still had its effect on me, tightening my body.

In my mind, I saw a faint glimpse of that man who was with Yukari. He was also with those two girls before, I was not ordered not to attack him that time. I think his name was Ken. Why he is in my mind is elusive, it's really weird.

(What? What do you want from me?)

"Loosen up" said the Ken in my mind, before he seems to step out of it himself.

(But I never got what that...meant.)

Realizing what Ken meant when he said "loosen up", I remember when I was thoroughly relaxed at the graveyard before Yukari showed up. I was having a peaceful meditation under that tree, before a rude awakening caused me to be more alert.

(So that's what he meant.)

Remembering a procedure I went through before meditation, I tried to breathe deeply. My limbs already begin to feel more relaxed, while my stomach slowly rises and falls.  
After a few minutes, I already felt like a new person, rejuvenated, refreshed, and more peaceful. The apprehension and despair that devastated me was no longer there, as calmness and focus replaced them.

(I owe you someday for telling me these much-needed words. Thank you, Ken.)

Thankful of his words, I became unafraid to talk to Yuyuko. However, when I tried to speak, I felt my hair being brushed off to the side.  
"Mistress Yuyuko?" I asked, noticing how clear my voice is now.

*Chu~*

I felt my ear being nibbled on top with teeth, teeth that of Yuyuko as she continues to hug me. I immediately felt warmth rush to my cheeks, while wincing slightly from being nibbled.

"Mistress Yuyuko, are you hungry?" I asked, thinking that would be the only logical reason.

I could hear a muffled "mhmm~" from Yuyuko, telling me that she is hungry, and possibly starving.

"Okay, Yuyuko, I will serve you some meals" I said, making a small grin.

(That was the first time I called her only Yuyuko.)

**Marisa's POV**

BGM: N/A

(Hold still will you?)

But she wouldn't. Reimu always keep dodging my attacks by grazing or teleporting and hitting me from behind. My back hurts a lot from being hit to the ground. My face has grown red from hitting the floor so much.

(It's always like a 5 to 1 ratio. I only hit her once while she hits me five times already. It's not fair! And she's not even using her danmaku!)

However, ever since I hit her with a star from using Meteonic Debris, she doesn't even seem to fighting as hard as she should be.

(This isn't fun no more, she's not even trying! Maybe a quick hit in the head will tell her to try!)

On the ground was Reimu, only throwing ofuda and senbon needles at me while I was in the air.

I swooped down towards the ground, dodging the ofuda and the needles in the air. I quickly landed and ran towards Reimu, holding my broom in the overhand position.  
Reimu responds by quickly throwing two ofuda to create a blue barrier in front of me.

(Hmph! Easy!)

I kicked the ground and jumped over the blue barrier, as Reimu stares at me with wonder, her eyes seemed lifeless.

(I'll knock some sense into your head so you won't stare as much!)

Close to Reimu and descending in the air, I brought down my broom and struck Reimu in the head with the straw. Successfully, Reimu was brought down to the ground in utter shock. The strange thing is, as soon as I hit her, she fell limp and acted like she was dead.

(Eh? Reimu?)

"Reimu?" I said, looking down on her seemingly lifeless body. "Come on Reimu, now's not the time to be playing dead."

I poked her body a few times with the bamboo end of my broom, trying to check to see if Reimu is alive. "Reimu? Reimu!"

All of a sudden, her body seems to have exploded in a blue explosion, before ofuda flew out of it in all directions and hit me in the head, chest, and legs.

I was so unprepared that I staggered backwards by the shock of the explosion, trying to frantically find out what just happened and why did I get hit with ofuda when the Reimu in front of me was playing dead.

Then I fell back on the ground when someone tripped by the foot. I hit the back of my head real hard, my hat fell off with the Hakkero in it.

"Ow~!" I yelled in pain, grabbing my head where it hurts. I lifted my head to see who tried to hit me in the front, and it turned out to be none other than Reimu.

Reimu seemed to be dusting off her clothes. The back of her clothes seem to show a lot of gray spots while to my disappointment, no sign of a red bump on her head.

(So the Reimu I have been fighting is a fake? That really makes me feel bad I spent all that effort just to kill off a clone..)

"When you get up, can you help me set up the shrine for the banquet?" asked Reimu, looking at me on the ground before looking away. Reimu walked away from me while I was still on the ground groaning from the fall I had thanks to her. However, she seemed to be walking slowly to me, this made me remember I still have a trick up my sleeve while I was on the ground.

With my right arm, I reached out behind me while arching my back and head to reach my hat. My hand barely caught a hold on it before I dragged it towards me. I relaxed my body to stop arching, resting on the ground, only tilting my head again upwards to look at Reimu. I shoved my hand in the hat, taking out the mini Hakkero and aiming it at Reimu.

(Uh oh, looks like she forgot I still have this with me~)

My arm shook as the Hakkero begin to gather energy into its hollow core, rainbow colored crackles of electricity went throughout the Hakkero. I grinned evilly at Reimu.

"Marisa?" asked Reimu, stopping on the ground, before looking at me.

(Too late!)

"Love Sign! Master Spark!"

**Alice's POV**

BGM:Clannad OST - A Couple of Idiots

I stood in front of Marisa's home, looking at the broken window. I left my grimoire at home, but I brought Shanghai with me for company.

(Hmph. What a lazy witch. She's not doing anything about the broken window or these...vines on her house at all)

I began to feel disgusted, since I have been here before several times. I crossed my arms and begin to lose patience.

(If there's that, then I know going inside has got to be the worst thing I could do. That's why I put Shanghai over there.)

I looked over at Shanghai, she stands there as I manipulated before, holding the bottle with a cork on it.

(Heck, why am I here? She might not be home at all...I'm supposed to bring that bottle to the shrine for her anyway..)

(No! That witch Marisa needs a lesson. She needs to be more responsible and not have someone like me to do it. I have other things to do anyway! Don't keep me busy with a bottle.)

(One day she'll thank me for being so harsh to her!)

I grew increasingly adamant to give the bottle to her after being initially rejected by the poor condition of seeing her home and Marisa. Blood began racing to my face as I felt flushed, and irritated for no reason.

(Well, I don't want to come all the way here for nothing, time to knock and warn her about a threat I will not disclose and give her back the wine! I wanna see her squirm!)

I lifted my arm to about an inch away from knocking on her door.

**Ken's POV**

"God damn it!" I yelled loudly.

I kicked open the door while being enraged. The door swung open to its right, as I panted many times, looking at the floor.

"Can't that witch ever clean up something for once in this house? This place has only gotten messier last time I been here!" I yelled in frustration.

I was pissed off, nothing has ever made more angrier than trying to find something in a house like this. It's like an equivalent of finding a needle in a haystack.

(This is more like a fucking junkyard than a home! In fact, I don't think it's a home at all. It's a fucking sieve!)

My face was red, not from the anger I had built up, but from the numerous times I had tripped in this house and fell on my face.

Suddenly, something small hit my head from behind. I quickly turned around ready to punch whoever did that to see Yukari and her unfolded fan. She looked like she was being totally sarcastic.

"Watch your language Ken, we have a child here you know~" sung Yukari ominously, only making me get angrier.

(Chen's upstairs, I can cuss all I want!)

"We're never going to find anything in this house!" I yelled, accidentally spitting on Yukari's forehead. She wiped that off with her hand before lightly slapping me in the face with the same hand. The slap hurt more than usual since my face was already red and more sensitive from the numerous faceplants I had.

"Say it. Don't spray it, Ken~" said Yukari.

(I'm supposed to say that! But apparently nobody in this land has an effing lisp!)

While getting increasingly angry at Yukari for being a smartass, she looked past me and widened her eyes. She pointed in the direction my back is facing. "Hey Ken, look over there! There's the bottle of wine!"

"No there isn't, you dumbass. We been trying to find this bottle of wine for over an hour and I bet you're just hallucinating" I said, taking pride in my statement.

Yukari narrowed her eyes at me, before slapping me harder this time on the other cheek. While I was feeling that cheek with my hand because it felt like a bee sting, I was flipped around by Yukari to look in the other direction.

In the distance, I saw some kind of little humanoid that seemed to be holding a bottle with a visible piece of cork sticking out of the neck.

(Yeah, I deserved that one.)

"I stand corrected" I said, defeated with little to no pride left.

"Told you~, now go and get it" said Yukari, sounding irritated. I heard her unfolding the fan she had and fanning herself.

I grumbled a few times but I went outside to retrieve what seems to be the bottle. Being inside for more than an hour, the sun was quite harder on me for a few moments before my eyes got used to it.

Putting my arm on my forehead to prevent the sun from getting its rays in my eyes, I had gotten closer to the humanoid. I recognized it immediately when I got close to it.

(Shanghai? or is it Hourai? It's probably Shanghai.)

The doll held out her bottle of wine gesturing for me to take it.

(Well, okay?)

I took the bottle of wine from her hands by the neck. Already I felt a layer of dust on the bottle, but I didn't care, I finally found it.

"Okay girls. I found it!" I yelled, waving the bottle in the air.

"Give it here" said Yukari instantly beside me. I was amazed that she was beside me all this time. The doll looked at her curiously.

(Looks like Alice decided to do something for us. That was very nice and somewhat uncharacteristic.)

"Here you go" I said, now already relieved of my frustration and giving her the bottle. "Chen, Ran, we're going now!"

"And with enough time to spare~" said Yukari, already dropping the bottle into a gap.

"Now where do we go ne...what the hell?" I said, seeing some sort of a large rainbow-colored beam piercing the sky before dissipating suddenly. I shook, shakily pointing my finger to where the beam was once. "Was...was that a master spark?"

"I believe it was, Ken. And that's exactly where we're headed~" sung Yukari, before opening a gap that doesn't give away a destination, only eyes staring at you back. She goes into it, and shortly after, Ran and Chen follow her into it.

(At least I'm not the only one with a red face.)

I begin to walk into the gap when I felt someone tugging me from behind on my shirt. Turning around, I saw the doll staring at me with those lifeless eyes, flying on its own up to my chest.

(Woah...at least that's less creepier than the doll Marisa has in her room.)

The doll points to her left. Looking at the direction, I saw Alice lying on the ground with her arms on the ground. She seems to look unconscious, and I was completely shocked. Not the fact that Alice was there, that's no surprise at all. The big surprise is that the doll is doing all that without Alice moving her limbs on purpose.

"What? How did you-" the doll silenced my loudness by placing her finger on her lips. Immediately, I became silent.

(Can't you speak? Then again, I'm pretty sure Alice doesn't design vocal cords either.)

The doll tried to communicate to me by raising her arms like she was lifting something and pointing in a direction, but I could not understand her.

Becoming restless, The doll floated to my hand and grabbed my finger, before pointing towards Alice.

"Walk towards her?" I asked, feeling weird all of a sudden. The doll nodded and tried to pull my finger towards Alice to no avail.

I walked over to the unconscious Alice while the doll held on to my finger. When I got to Alice, she seemed to be truly knocked out, with her nose bleeding.

"I wonder how she got knocked out. Meh, no time to think about that now. Now what?" I asked the doll. The doll let go of my finger and got to the floor. She walked over real close to Alice and did a motion where she tried to lift her up.

"Ohh~, is that what you meant?" I asked, feeling bad for not getting it before. The doll nodded and climbed on top of Alice's stomach. I lifted Alice up off the ground bridal style. She still seems to be unconscious when I immediately blushed.

(Yukari was right. This could create misunderstandings. I'm not sure how Sakuya would react if she would react. Hopefully she doesn't go all Dio Brando on me.)

The doll pointed towards the gap. I asked, "you want me to take her into where the gap leads to?"

The doll nodded, sitting on top of Alice. I sighed, before starting to walk towards the gap.

(I'm taking orders from a freaking living doll who apparently doesn't need a puppeteer to function on its own while another doll is in my pants. Wow...woah!)

I heard a bump. Designating where that noise came from, I realized I bumped Alice into the door with her head. She shows no sign of waking up though.

"Woops. hehe" I said, while the doll facepalmed.

(Then again, the door is only five inches away from being closed, and Alice didn't wake up after bumping her against the door. And Marisa might get suspicious as to why her door is open when she left it closed.)

While I was smiling evilly, the doll looked at me questionably, before I closed the door by bumping Alice's head on purpose against the door.

(Well that takes care of that...hey, why are you all up at my grills?)

The doll looked pissed, before slapping my cheek as hard as she could on my right cheek, before landing on Alice's stomach again.

(Well, that one didn't really hurt, but I could tell that using Alice like that was unnecessary.)

(Ah well, time to get in the gap. The three are probably already waiting for me.)

I walked towards the gap, before stepping in it, finding myself in a familiar location.


	52. Supremacy Chapter 12

Mikos Jerking it out

**Third POV**

Yuyuko sits in her room, a traditional japanese room. The floor is covered with tatami mats, there is a kotatsu in the middle, and the walls have frames of wood covered in paper. Behind Yuyuko is a little bonsai garden with a lamp of light nearby. Yuyuko is sitting on a pillow on her legs, looking at an old bottle of sake. The exterior of the bottle looks dusty, forged into a ceramic via a klin with white and blue colors. The top is open, letting out a smell of delicious sake waiting to be flavored and savored.

In front of Yuyuko, there is a paper door with the support of the fragile wood. There is a darkening on the paper, resembling a person with short hair. Then, the door suddenly slides to the right, as it was Youmu at the door, holding something unknown with a hand cupped over it.

"Did you get it Youmu?" asked Yuyuko, smiling warmly, yet her intentions seem wryly in comparison.

Youmu bowed before her, then she sat down on the opposite side of the kotatsu. She nodded normally as she extends her arms across the wooden surface.

Yuyuko's grin slowly turned into a big smile, as she took Youmu's hands, clasping them softly. Youmu's face gets a little pink from the gesture, and gulps discretely.

Yuyuko steadily unveiled what was under Youmu's hand. A stem of a plant is revealed; the leaves are finely divided and lacy, mostly triangular in shape. The stem itself is a smooth green, marked with a purple streak at the lower half.

Youmu look nervously at Yuyuko, as her lips quivered. "Lady Yuyuko, are you sure you want to add this to your sake?"

"This is exactly it. There's nothing wrong with tasting something so bittersweet before" said Yuyuko, taking the stem off of Youmu's hands and pushing them away gently.

She lifted her hand above the bottle of sake, Youmu's eyes followed the hand carefully.

Her hand slowly closed into a fist, as it tightened and tightened, crushing the stem inside.

A pungent smell filled the air from Yuyuko's hand. Youmu's face became more contorted while Yuyuko continued to look naturally at the hand with the crushed plant.

Youmu seemed like she wanted to ask Yuyuko something, but she already doesn't want to question her any further, even if Yuyuko was being strange.

Yuyuko tipped her hand over, before relaxing her grip and letting the crushed stem and leaves fall into the bottle of sake.

"Lady Yuyuko?" asked Youmu, looking at her mistress.

"Yes, Youmu?" said Yuyuko, brushing her hands and looking at Youmu. A coy smile was seen on Yuyuko, which made Youmu even more uncomfortable.

"Umm, are you really going to bring this to the festival?" asked Youmu.

"Of course. After all, nobody messes with my Youmu and gets away with it~" said Yuyuko in a whimsical manner. "A pinch of hemlock is always good for the soul."

Youmu gulped again, after all, it was a lot more than just a pinch.

Yuyuko stood up and picked up her bottle of sake, before leaving her room. Just out, Yuyuko looks at Youmu sideways, her back turned towards her. "Come on, we'll be leaving soon. It's easier to suspect a late surprise after all.

Youmu gulped again, before she stood up and walked to her mistress's side, closing the doors to her room. "Yes, Lady Yuyuko."

**Ken's POV**

I stepped onto the courtyard of a familiar place. It was clean of dust as the white pavement shone in the sun. As expected, the grass bordering the white pavement seems to have been shaved, while I rolled my eyes.

(She must can't get enough of that grass tea.)  
I was back at the Hakurei Shrine, feeling like I have butterflies in my stomach.

(Is it the fact I might be asked to sweep her dust-free courtyard? Or the fact I'm carrying an unconscious person?)

Looking around, I saw Reimu, Yukari, Ran, and Chen staring straight at me. Yukari unfolded her fan she was carrying and covered her face, possibly hiding her embarrassment and giggling. Reimu's eyes just pierced through my soul like I was being an idiot for carrying someone unconscious to her shrine and over-exaggerating her description of staring at me. When I caught Ran looking at me, she immediately looked somewhere else in the sky, whistling while trying to stifle her laugh. Finally, Chen just looked confused and scratched her hair a few times, her tails swaying back and forth slowly.

The entire place was silent, as I was still being uncomfortably stared at.

(Wow, this is unsettling.)

I suddenly felt a light tug on my left sleeve. Looking down, I saw Shanghai tugging me and pointing towards the hot spring on the right behind the shrine.

In the hot spring was a person, someone who looked like she was relaxing, but she made no movements what so ever. The arms were on the fringe of the hot spring while the head was seemingly tilting up. A familiar big, pointy hat with a large white ribbon was seen next to the spring standing on its own.

(Marisa?)

Curious, I walked up to the hot spring while still carrying Alice, earning a glare from Reimu.

(I can't help it if I'm carrying someone unconscious! Blame the doll! It's the doll's fault.)

While walking towards the hot spring, Alice seems to have stirred in her sleep, making my skin fill up with goosebumps.

(Don't wake up. DON'T WAKE UP!)

Even Shanghai seems to be surprised as well, as she stared at Alice's head. Alice's eyes begin to scrunch up and open.

Shanghai quickly looked at me and looked scared, it seems like she doesn't want Alice to know one of her dolls is fully independent.

(Don't look at me! I don't know what to do!)

I began freaking out as Alice begins moving her arms around and stretching them while yawning.

Alice continued to stare at the sky, before slowly tilting her head to look at me with her eyes half-open.

In a desperate moment, I switched my hand to beside my other hand on the right, letting her head fall to the ground suddenly. Her hair hung in the air for a few moments before her head hit the ground.

(Come on! Become unconscious already!)

But Alice does not get knocked out, she merely drew her hands to the back of her head and closed her eyes, wincing in pain.

"Oww~, that hurt~" said Alice softly, while I stopped beside the hot spring, Alice's head was on the fringe of the hot spring, some strands of her hair were in the steaming water.

Her eyes started to open up again as she scratched her head.

(Fuck! Wait, where the hell did you go Shanghai?)

I looked around frantically, seeing no sign of Shanghai, who used to be on top of Alice's body.

(Did I make her fall off when I dropped her head?)

(Damn it Shanghai! This is no time for jokes you damn doll!)

I spotted something amiss, I noticed before that Marisa's hat was standing upright, now it's on its side.

(That's strange. Wait...Shanghai, if you're think you're being funny by playing hide and go seek, you have another thing coming.)

I was partly right, as Shanghai popped out of the hat carrying Marisa's Hakkero. Shanghai quickly ran to Alice's head with difficulty carrying the Hakkero.

(That must look heavier than it looks. Then again, aren't you supposed to only have stuffing in your damn insides?)

(Isn't Alice gonna be more than wide-awake when she finds out you're alive on your own?)

Staring at Shanghai in disbelief, I made various faces and even little noises to get her to stop getting close to her.

Unfortunately, Shanghai 'poked' Alice with the Hakkero on her right cheek, ignoring me. Alice's eyes squinted in response while continuing to groan, before tilting her head lazily to the right.

(Move out of the damn way! She is going to see you!)

Alice slowly opened her eyes open to that of a sliver as her pupils moved slowly to the Shanghai standing next to her.

"Shanghai, carrying the witch's Hakkero, on her own, must be a dream~" said Alice softly and nonchalantly, showing no sign of surprise at all.

(Well, that was anticlimactic.)

Suddenly, Alice opened her eyes wide open, a glint was seen in her eyes. "I MUST FIND OUT HOW SHE IS INDEPENDENT OF MY CONTROL IN MY DREAM!"

With her arms in the air, they lunged towards Shanghai with twitchy fingers as Alice grew an evil smile.

Shanghai responds by hefting up the Hakkero above her head.

When Alice's hands became dangerously close to possibly squishing Shanghai between her hands, Shanghai brought down the Hakkero onto Alice's forehead. As it connected, Alice stopped attempting to grab Shanghai and fell unconscious, as her arms fell limp and her eyes were closed.

(Wow...that really was anticlimactic. Who knew that the doll was so strong...)

As Shanghai lifted the Hakkero off of Alice's head and dropped it on the ground, a red bump grew on Alice.

(Well, I just realized a doll just attacked her creator, that's kinda like robots when they get all superiority complex on you.)

Shanghai pointed towards the spring, motioning with her hand a wave-like gesture.

"You want me to put her in the spring?" I said, trying to interpret her body language. Shanghai nodded, as she got up on Alice's stomach again and sat there.

(Well, okay? Why would you want to put your master in a spring? Ah well, I can't argue with a doll, for the fact that it's a doll and it can't talk back at all.)

Barely lifting Alice off the ground since my hands are located on her legs, along with gravity having a stronger effect, I 'slid' Alice in the air towards the water. She submerged in the spring for a few seconds before rising up and floating on her back on the water, not breaking the tension.

(What the? She can float on her back? WHILE SLEEPING! I could never do that whenever I'm CONSCIOUS!)

Shanghai smiled and laid back on Alice's stomach, stretching her arms before laying on her side and clasping her hands. She slid her hands together underneath her head, and closed her eyes.

(Never have I witnessed a more cuter moment...BY AN INANIMATE OBJECT!)

(But...what was the whole purpose of that? Why would a doll want her master floating on a body of steaming water so she could sleep on her? Ah well, I should probably go to where Yukari is.)

(Hopefully they haven't witnessed me doing what I just done. When I turn around, I should see...)

I turned around, strangely apprehensive of what's going to happen next.

(And no one! Whew!)

Sighing, I walked towards where I saw Yukari, Chen, Ran, and Reimu at the courtyard earlier. I began to discern voices as I listened in.

"Ginjoushu" said a mature-like voice, recognized as Yukari's.

"Yeah, it's probably ginjoushu. But it's from outside, so it's imported sake" said another voice, sounding more like a teenager.

(That voice is probably Reimu's.)

"Mind handing it over?" asked Yukari, in a more demanding tone.

Seeing the two now, I saw Yukari gesturing Reimu to give the sake to her.

Reimu didn't looked pleased at all to hear that, as her eyes narrowed at Yukari. "What the heck. It's still being offered on the altar, so no."

(Speaking of being offered on the altar, where is it anyway?)

I looked at the front of the shrine, seeing no sign of any sake at all.

(Maybe it's inside the shrine, but if I go in, Reimu might ask what I'm doing. I'll need an excuse then...)

"Hmm~, That sake, how do you think it ended up where it did?" asked Yukari, fanning herself with her fan, with an impish smirk.

"I found it left in the household shrine. Isn't that how it goes?" replied Reimu, taking out ofuda from her dress.

"I wonder if there are any more gods in the outside world?" said Yukari, as she covered her mouth again.

(I bet she's going to tell me to get the sake.)

"Go get the sake from her shrine" said Yukari discreetly to my ear through a hidden gap behind her fan.

(Wow, I actually knew that too. Yukari is getting more predictable.)

I nodded very slightly, as Reimu is unsettled by a seemingly period of silence as Yukari stares straight at her, smiling behind that fan.

(This actually looks like some kind of Mexican stand-off. Now all they need are revolvers, or guns at least.)

Ran and Chen looked at me and nodded slightly, I nodded back.

(I think they got the message too.)

I could easily hear the tree leaves rustle as Reimu looks at Yukari anxiously, expecting her to probably make a move or something.

"What are you up to, Yu-"

"Oops~, I forgot to steal something from Alice, be right back~" I stated loudly, before I seemingly walked back to the spring.

Reimu looked at me like I was an idiot before turning her prying eyes on Yukari again. The way she looked at me was shuddering, instilling fear in me as I continued to walk towards the spring, albeit in a more hurried state.

(Never again do I want to see Reimu look at me like that, it's like she's tearing my damn soul apart.)

As soon as I made it to the spring, I caught a look at Alice and Marisa, neither of them moving, being perfectly still in the water. Shanghai continued to sleep on Alice.

(Why would a doll need to sleep anyway? That's something strange...)

Turning towards the back of the shrine, I walked towards it, stepping up onto the platform with my bare feet.

I opened a crack on the paper door, peeking inside.

(Good. No one is in. The weird thing is, I don't hear Yukari distracting Reimu.)

I slid open the paper door and went in while trying to lighten my steps to silence them. I left it open just in case Reimu gets any ideas.

(Jeez, it sounds like I'm walking on cardboard.)

(Now where would I find a a bottle of that Gin...something?)

On a ground was an unmade futon with the blanket in a messy state with its many wrinkles.

(Geez Reimu, don't you have the decency to at least clean up after your own?)

As soon as I made another step in the shrine, the door on the opposite side slid open immediately, I looked up in surprise and saw Reimu.

She looked angry, as her wide eyes turned narrowed towards me, giving me that piercing stare again. I was immediately chilled to the bone. "You're on her side too? And do you really think I was going to fal-"

She stopped, before looking straight at my pubes, she continued to stare before pointing at it with her finger.

(What the? Don't tell me I have wood growing! Wait, it doesn't feel like it...then what the-)

I looked down, seeing what could be mistaken as an erection.

(Oh wait...oh yeah! I still have that doll in my pants don't I?)

I still felt the doll in my privates as I smirked back at Reimu. "Yes Reimu, I got quite a package."

Reimu snapped out of looking at my pubes and looked straight at me again with her piercing eyes. "Get out."

(You can't fight me. We're in your shrine.)

"No" I said flatly, crossing my arms and again smirking at Reimu.

"Then I'll make you" said Reimu, before suddenly disappearing into the air.

(What the...wait a minute..I seen this before in Scarlet Weather Rhapsody, usually when she disappears, she's going to-)

Unfortunately, while I stood there thinking about her skill, I was immediately hit in the ankle from behind. Losing my balance, I fell backwards yet I moved forward at the same time. I landed on my back with a loud thud, wincing in pain since I was recently hit in the back.

(Gah~, that hurts! Why doesn't my shield work?)

Lifting my head, I saw Reimu just now getting up from her slide kick, brushing her hair slightly as she lifted her foot ominously.

(She'll have me pinned down if I stay on the ground. Better move!)

I rolled to my side just before Reimu stomped her foot on where my stomach was.

"Stay still!" yelled Reimu in frustration, lifting her foot again trying to stomp me.

(Hey, does it look like I'm some bug?)

As soon as Reimu was about to stomp on ground again, I grabbed her stationary leg and pulled it towards me with both hands on her ankle.

(Full circle!)

Reimu quickly fell to the ground, taking her by surprise.

"Hey!" yelled Reimu, reaching in her outfit for something.

(Oh shit, I better not stick around for whatever in those clothes.)

I jumped onto my feet before high-tailing it towards out of the shrine.

**Reimu's POV**

(My back...ahh~!)

(Ken, you're so~ going to get it!)

(Don't you run away from me!)

I took out a single ofuda before sliding it on the ground towards Ken before trying to get up, stretching my arm.

(Enjoy~!)

I watched Ken, as the ofuda sliding on the ground is faster than his frantic running. The ofuda spun around as it seems to be glowing brighter and brighter as it gets closer and closer to Ken.

**Ken's POV**

(Come on! She must have got up by now.)

By now, I was at the patio only a few steps away from my feet touching the courtyard.

My heart was already beating very fast as I was getting closer to the edge of the patio.

(Better get ready to defend myself!)

Taking out my spell card, I begin to raise it high in the air while running, and declared "Seeker Sign! Am-WH-WHOA~!"

I felt something grab my pubes as soon as I lifted my right foot up from the ground, causing me to go paralyzed in the air and off the patio while my hands instantly grab my pubes in reflex. The surroundings behind and beside me suddenly turn orange before dissipating.

My foot went into the donation box, and with my momentum, crashed with me on the ground. My foot that was in the donation box now feels really numb. A few moments pass, and now my foot feels like it's slowly moving through hot sand as the blood courses back into it.

(God damn it! I hate that feeling! The last time I had this feeling was when I was on the damn john! And this only happens ON THE DAMN JOHN!)

(What the hell is that effing doll doing?)

(That's it! I'm getting this doll out of my jewels's areas...as soon as I get my foot out of this empty donation box!)

I slowly lifted up the donation box off the floor with my foot. I continued doing this as the donation box was at a 45 angle until something rolled out of it.

The object descended downwards and hit my stomach, causing me to be slightly out of breath as I did not see it coming.

(What the hell is this...hold the phone.)

Taking a closer look, it seems to be a porcelain bottle with Japanese Kanji near the bottom.

(Hey, is this the sake we want?)

(This donation box is getting on my nerves, better get rid of it.)

I bent in my knee, bringing the donation box closer to me before I lifted it out of my foot and set it off to the side.

(Bask in the sun, foot. You're out of the abyss that is known as the Hakurei Shrine donation box.)

Just when I was about to grab the bottle with my right hand, a hand quickly took it off my stomach. Looking upwards on the floor, I saw Yukari examining the bottle.

"This looks to be it." said Yukari, before shaking it up, hearing the sake slosh around in the bottle. "Yep, this is it."

(Thank goodness. Although it's kinda weird that we already got the sake from Reimu.)

"So what now?" I asked, trying to get up and being hesitant to let my foot touch the ground.

(I should take out the doll from my pants now...)

"Now we-"

*Wah-Wah!

(What was...)

**Yukari's POV**  
I stared casually at Reimu, with her foot on Ken's face. Ken appears to be knocked out as his eyes was closed. Reimu had her gohei in her hand.

(Poor Ken, nobody likes it when someone unfairly attacks via teleportation. Did she get this teleportation idea from me? I may never know.)

Reimu took a quick look at my hands occupying the sake before quickly lashing out at me with her gohei.

I simply took a step backwards and fell into a gap, leaving her attack fruitless and herself dazed at my sudden disappearance.

I floated in the world of red eyes around me. Waving my hand, the eye's pupils turned into views that covers Reimu from all angles. Reimu seems to be looking around, her face red in anger.

Again, I looked at the sake I carried, blowing away with my breath the thin layer of dust that blocked the white finish.

(Why would Reimu put this sake in such an unsuitable place? It is already gathering dust.)

"This isn't funny, Yukari. Give that sake back to me now" said Reimu to the surroundings around her, her foot off of Ken's face. Ken's face appears to have gathered a red footprint on his face, while his nose was bleeding and his mouth was wide open. If his lip was not curved upwards, that blood would have flowed straight into Ken's mouth.

I giggled at Reimu's frustration and Ken's misfortune, not unfolding my fan in front of my mouth since nobody was around.

One of my eyes changed views to Ran and Chen. They seemed to busy raiding the supply closet near the shrine, while the shrine maiden does not notice.

(I'll let them keep looking for anything useful other than the sake I have in my hands. No use letting them stand there and do nothing.)

(Now, my next target should be Yuyuko. I should expect Youmu to tell her master that I have took her beverage, and that Yuyuko would expect the same fate. Good thing I haven't used up all my energy today. But I can expect a long sleep from this much exercise.)

(Now where are they? Everyone should be flocking to the festival soon.)

Changing the view of the eyes from Ran and Chen to Yuyuko. I saw that she is being accompanied by Youmu. They were walking through the forest of magic, on the path that leads to the Hakurei Shrine, as their current location is not far from the hill the Hakurei Shrine is on.

(Maybe it's time to stop fooling around with Reimu anymore. She looked so anxious facing me while Ken was in the shrine.)

I opened a gap to a room where I had 'collected' the sake from the previous targets today, I put in my hand grasping the sake. I kept going downwards until I felt the bottle touch the ground. I let go of it and took my hand out of the gap before closing it.

(With even only this much of wines and sakes I collected, the results can be...glamorous.)

I took out a spell card from my dress before focusing all my attention on Reimu.

(Ready for some tough love, Reimu?)

I waved my hand, as I 'marked' Reimu with a small blue swastika on her back.

Immediately after that, I created a glyph in the air resembling a red bird's eye. After a few moments, Reimu seems to have noticed it since she's straining her eyes trying to see it in the sky.

The blue swastika flashes white for a split-second before returning to normal. An object with an enveloping long blue trail instantly came out of the red bird's eye, heading for Reimu at high speed. Reimu jumped and sidestepped at the immediate threat. The object passed by her and hit Ken in the leg, causing a purple bump to grow. It bounced off his leg before disintegrating altogether.

(Oops! That's one rather nasty bruise. But now to get ready.)

I opened a large gap behind Reimu, who was busy dodging the high-speed blue objects heading towards her each time the swastika flashes.

Holding up my spell card while stepping out of it, I declared "Evil Spirits! Yukari Yakumo's Spiriting Away!"

Readers, I have no intention of quitting this fanfiction at all. But it's still very hard for me to gather my thoughts together. But I have been planning a lot on the future of this fanfiction. And since I am still umfamiliar with IaMP, maybe if I can finally get to IN, maybe updates will be faster?  
Who knows? Anyways, Read and Reviews/Comments please! They are like an author's food.


	53. Supremacy Chapter Final Part 1

**Don't Stir Up the Oni's Nest**

**Third POV**

Ken begins to show signs of waking up as he raises his arms in the air and yawns. Even though he was accidentally knocked out by a certain shrine maiden, Ken awakes the same way a lazy armadillo would. The red footprint can be still seen on his face, as the wavy edges of the most holy Hakurei shoe made its mark on a human.

The purple bruise on Ken's right leg has swollen, if Ken were to touch that part of his leg, it would be very painful.

"Oh my head...my aching head" groaned Ken, putting his hand to his face. The sun was just above him as he opened his eyes. Immediately, he closed them as the glare pierced his current vision an orange spot in a sea of darkness.

The palm of his hand struck something odd on his face. Something that has had a prolific appearance on Ken's body, but only under so many circumstances. Ken raised his eyebrows in question.

"What the hell did I just touch?" asked Ken to himself.

Putting his hand in front of his face so he can look at the palm and not stare at the sun's deadly glare, Ken sees red. Not just the translucent blood inside his fingers on the edges, but a dried, red, and familiar smelling substance on his palm.

As the chips fall off his palm, Ken tries to smell whatever was on his palm. But instead, all he smells is blood, along with a swollen feeling in his nose.

"What the hell? Blood? Who the..." Ken doesn't continue on his rant and looks around alert, accidentally brushing his hand against the bruise he suffered on his knee. Ken twitches and trembles enormously as he grabs the area around the bruise and sat up, while rocking back and forth. The totally sadistic training he has received from Meiling is not very effective. Ken's purple bruise is super effective!

"Sssssss...ahh~...Ssssss...ahh~" Ken continues to seethe in air and then breathe out while rocking back and forth on his butt.

"Oh, Youmu~" said a light and carefree voice. "You missed a spot~."

"But Mistress Yuyuko, if I cut that area, his upper lip might have been cut off" said a straightforward and whiny voice.

"You could always pull it down with your finger, Youmu" said Yuyuko, giggling a little bit.

"But that might wake him up" said Youmu, slightly glancing at her short sword on her waist before looking back at Ken.

The ghostly inhabitants of Hakugyokurou, Yuyuko and Youmu, are sitting on the veranda of the Hakurei Shrine watching Ken rock back and forth making seething and breathing noises. Having come to the Hakurei Shrine to try to fool Yukari to taking the poisoned wine, they were nevertheless outsmarted and decided to stay to see what's left of the banquet. Owing Ken from before, Youmu tried to shave off the blood from Ken's face with her sword. She managed to shave off the blood from around Ken's mouth, but not directly below his nose, since Youmu thought moving Ken's upper lip might wake him up. Youmu figured that was enough and returned to her mistress at the veranda, thinking about the next dinner she's going to cook for her mistress when the two go back.

"Ranny~, what's Ken doing~?" asked a childish and relaxed voice.

"He seems to be in pain, Chen" responded a mature voice.

"Hmph. It's only something purple on his skin, Ken's a baby" said Chen, narrowing her eyes at Ken, as her ears bent towards him.

The two servants of the Border Youkai, Ran and Chen Yakumo, sitting beside the ghostly companions on the veranda. After fruitlessly searching the shrine and its respective storehouse for Reimu's sake, they given up. Coming back to their mistress, they saw her battle and defeat the impetuous yet lazy shrine maiden of the Hakurei Shrine without direct assistance from them. Told to stay at the Hakurei Shrine for reasons unknown by their mistress, they at first tried to relax at the hot spring. Seeing the two seemingly dead bodies of Marisa and Alice in the spring, they decided to wait with the ghostly duo.

Chen looked restless, from trying to paw at the floating ghost half of Youmu, Myon, to attempting to sneak out of the shrine to terrorize the human village, which fortunately Ran caught her, there is nothing for her to do that could keep away her tireless boredom. It was like the most cruelest order Yukari ever gave Chen. Ran certainly didn't mind waiting, but she seemed to be reluctant starting a conversation with the ghostly duo, since she never really talked to them.

Above the two duos hang on a line clothes of a certain witch and a certain doll-user, dampened by the hot spring as it flows with the light breeze.

Inside the Hakurei Shrine are Reimu, Marisa, and Alice. Both Alice and Marisa are still unconscious, but they are now in futons in their undergarments. Their fingers and toes are very wrinkly from prolonged contact to water. It's weird how Reimu didn't bring Marisa in until Alice was there too, perhaps she was resting from her previous battle. The doll Shanghai is resting on top of Alice's stomach, the same spot she wanted to stay on to continue sleeping on.

Reimu is currently boiling a tea kettle with the flavor of grass in the shrine, with five cups on a plate beside it. Reimu looked very exhausted by how she simply slides her feet on the floor and her eyes half-open. Almost getting fried by her friend's master spark and suffering a relentless assault by the Border Youkai was not her cup of tea.

For some reason, Reimu has the smell of sweets, yet her back seemed arched strangely. Her posture was quite normal when she gave Ken a nosebleed.

Reimu sighs, seeing the tea kettle blow out its steam, saying to herself "I'm so tired...and it's all ruined."

Reimu grimaced before lethargically pouring the hot tea into the cups, occasionally spilling on the sides. Reimu didn't bother to wipe up the excess on the plate. She puts down the teapot, extinguishes the heating source, and carries the tea cups.

Sliding her feet through the Hakurei Shrine, she mindlessly steps over the futons in somewhat of a robotic fashion before she brings herself to a halt slowly before the paper door leading to the veranda in front of the courtyard. Putting her hand and leaning on the paper door for a few seconds, she musters the strength to pull it open.

She immediately looks with disdain at Ken who continually rocks back and forth and groans in pain, and then sighs, shaking her head.

Noticing Chen, Ran, Youmu, and Yuyuko glance at her, she begins to sit down the tea plate, having to go through so many motions to bend over and precisely place it on the ground without tipping it over.

Reimu then took a cup, then soon after her Ran, Yuyuko, and Youmu took one. Reluctantly, Chen took the last cup. Reimu walked up to beside Chen and slowly bent her knees, bringing herself lower to the ground. She soon sits down on the veranda beside Chen, being so exhausted that her posture shows this.

Ran eyed the ghostly duo carefully and how they drank their tea. She figures that in order to stop this awkward silence between the four of them, she must strike up a conversation somehow. Chen stared at her tea, taking one sniff of it only to be repulsed by it in the end.

Yuyuko and Youmu brought the tea cups to their nose and took one good whiff of the tea's steam before exhaling being seemingly synchronized. Ran raised her eyebrows in question at this strange behavior as they finally drank their tea.

Ran decides to do the same thing with her own cup, and brought it to her nose. She inhaled the steam through her nose, trying to replicate what the ghostly duo did. She narrowed her eyes, trying to figure out what inhaling in the steam through her nose is supposed to do before exhaling. Ran then takes a small sip.

Ran relishes in delight in the tea, noticing how she never tasted tea this good, while a grin grows on her face.

Noticing how everyone seems to be enjoying drinking their tea, Chen hastily brings the cup to her lips, having way more than a sip. Her eyes became wide-open, and her cheeks became red, before she spat out the tea via a raspberry. Chen did not like the taste of the tea, nor did she like how it scalded her tongue.

Reimu and Ran stared at Chen ominously, while Youmu and Yuyuko leered at her. Even Ken stopped in his eternal pain to see what was going on, feeling some water sprayed on his skin. Chen looked down at her cup, through her body language saying "I'm sorry."

Ken chuckles a little bit, remembering that he done the same thing way back then.

Reimu went back to staring at the sky while sipping her cup. "Why did Yukari had to be such a stupid youkai and take my sake?"

*Flashback*

About ten minutes ago, Reimu was panting heavily as she dodged the high speed objects with a blue trail coming at her. She still doesn't even notice the now multiple swastikas on her back while multiple glyphs were in the air shooting the objects at her. As each swastika flashed white one after another, Reimu has to relentlessly keep dodging them along with the assault Yukari was putting up.

Reimu was beginning to dodge more sloppily as she was not used to being attacked fiercely, especially by Yukari. A high speed object barely grazed her nose as she watched it whiz past by her.

**Reimu's POV**

I could feel my heart beating as I constantly moved my limbs to dodge the incoming objects. Every half a second I breathed, every other half I exhaled. Frustrated, I threw an ofuda at a glyph. As soon as the talisman hit the glyph, it makes it dissipate and go away, but it only reemerges into two.

(Why won't those glowing things in the air just go away?)

My limbs are wearing out by the second, as they feel much and much heavier every time I move them. I can't hold out for much longer.

(And why aren't you attacking me right now? Can't you see I'm having a hard time right now?)

(I can't attack her right now, I have to keep dodging these annoying things! And I'm too tired to teleport behind her.)

Yukari seems to be just standing there in front of me as she giggled. I took a few glances at her while constantly sidestepping and jumping back from the objects that just grazed my legs and my right cheek.

(How long are you going to just stand there and mock me!)

(That's it! I'm going to finish this! Let's see how she likes laughing at this! It's now or never!)

From my dress, I pulled out two spell cards, held with two fingers and one thumb. I made a weak grin at Yukari as she continued to stare at me smiling. My body feels like it's moving on its own to dodge the incoming high speed objects.

I planted down my first spell card on the ground very quickly after ducking and dodging the high speed objects aimed at my head, feeling it whizzing through my hair. Hastily, I declared "Divine Arts! Omnidirectional Demon Binding Circle!"

An orange glowing barrier rose up around me in a circle from the ground. It glows white at the bottom as the barrier successfully deflect away any high speed objects. As they pinged against my barrier, the high speed objects simply disappeared after a few seconds.

(Hmm? I never did took the time to notice that they disappear on their own. No wonder I didn't trip on anything on the ground.)

"Fufufu~, how cute. Reimu finally knows how to stop dodging those things" taunted Yukari at me, making me glow red on my face. My face wasn't red because I was embarrassed. It was because of anger, and I sent that feeling to her in my glare.

"Oh, Reimu looks angry~. Perhaps I should end this soon?" asked Yukari, jeering away at me.

(Oh you~! First Ken, now you are the last annoyance I want right now! You're going to BITE your words...and NOT like it.)

During the little time the barrier is up, I declared my other spell card, "Holy Relic! Yin-Yang Sanctifier Orb!"

I held my hands up in the air with my arms straight, as I felt a large sphere immediately fall into my hands. I smelt a sweet fragrance coming from above me, masking my smell.

(Taste the sweet smell of my balls! TASTE IT!)

Enraged and boosted by sudden energy, I hurled the Yin-Yang sphere towards Yukari as I momentarily watched it go past the barrier. However, the forward momentum by the ball made me stumble forward a bit, making me look towards the ground a little bit.

(Shoot! I almost fell into the barrier. That would be bad!)

I quickly regained my balance before looking upwards in hopes of seeing Yukari crushed by the ball.

And then there was none. There was no sign of Yukari. I frantically looked around in surprise. The ball was gone as well, that distinct sweet smell is nowhere to be seen, now masked by my own smell of the sweat under the sun from dodging those objects.

(What the...? Where did she go?)

I soon noticed the disappearance of those distinct pings of the high-speed objects that were headed towards me.

I sighed in relief, before dropping to the ground and breathing fast and heavy. I felt the absence of air where my neck meets the chest as I felt my chest rise and fall. My knees felt the cool courtyard tiles as I pressed my palms into the cool floor also, as the sweat dripped off my nose and eyebrows.

(I'm so tired...I'm so tired.)

(Damn it...she got away. I'm so hot, and this courtyard is so cool. I must...)

I collapsed into the floor, feeling my right cheek being cooled down. I felt myself being more relaxed, while breathing vigorously.

(Is the wine still here? She can't fight that well if...ah ha!)

On Ken's unconscious body and his puddle of blood, on top of his stomach was the reason I was fighting. The sake, seemingly untouched in its purity as it glistened with its white skin from the sun.

(Oh thank Hakurei...I won.)  
I sighed in relief, accomplishing my mission of driving away Yukari from taking my wine.

It was then that a question struck me. I was puzzled since I know this should at least be my reward in return. But, why is it that I question it? My intuition is telling me to be more alert, but the allure of the ground was too strong for me and I didn't get up.

(Why is the ground so cold? Hasn't it been under the sun for a while? Why am I given this moment to rest? How come my chest doesn't feel the ground any...)

*End Flashback*

Reimu sighed, not liking the long day she endured. Again, her back seemed strangely misshapen, for her posture was slouching as she sat. She groaned as she placed a hand on her chest.

Yuyuko sighed along as well, despite the fake smile on her face. "Why did Yukari have to be so smart?"

Reimu glanced at her questionably, saying "she ruined my banquet."

In response, Yuyuko says "she ruined my plan."

"Lady Yuyuko, I'm pretty sure you knew she would find out" said Youmu, before taking a sip.

"Yes but, I was hoping for a long fight with her~. I ruined the cycle of fighting for wine" said Yuyuko morbidly, looking up at the sky, having a flashback. Chen and Ran had their tails perked up, eager to listen to the flashback while Ken raised his eyebrows at Yuyuko, thinking "WTF?"

*Flashback*

Yukari slid the door close to the Hakurei Shrine, now housing a recovering shrine maiden. She likes the new scent on Reimu, even if she forced it on her.

Yukari grinned in delight, holding up the Ginjoushu to her head and examining it carefully. She eagerly giggled in secret, something that people have never seen Yukari do.

Then Yukari simply tossed it in the air, her grin still in place. She opened a gap in the middle of its trajectory, as the gap's eyes carefully followed the path of the sake before it was gone.

Closing the gap, she sat on the edge of the veranda, and sighed in relief. The shrine maiden was a hard nut to crack for her, but then again, she was the only hard one to crack. She has never been this relentless before, or so she thinks.

Yukari looks around, trying to see if anyone is watching her. Nobody has seen Yukari fatigued, yet, and it wouldn't help if someone found the Border Youkai tired and tried to attack her in her seemingly defenseless state.

She looks over at Ken, the blood from the stomp has coagulated and dried in the sun on his face and on the puddle.

Concerned, Yukari was about to get up to help out Ken however she can. Seconds later, Yukari decided to let anyone who sees Ken take care of him, shrugging it off. Why do the dirty work when someone else can do it for you?

She figured that since Ran and Chen aren't doing anything useful, so she was about to call them when all of a sudden...

"Yukari~" yelled a certain whimsical voice.

Yukari groaned inaudibly, but then as usual, puts on her fake smile. It's not like her smile isn't genuine whenever she's around Yuyuko, but she couldn't be bothered with right now.

She straightens herself out and fans herself with her fan, as Yuyuko and Youmu come up the stairs. Youmu looked immediately repulsed by the sight of Ken, while Yuyuko ignored him and kept on walking forward. Youmu continued to glance at Ken as Yuyuko walked towards Yukari. Yuyuko held a sake in her hands, with a wry smile.

Yukari raised an eyebrow and looked at the sake. Was she offering it to her? Is it that easy? Yukari easily answered these questions while saying "Hello Yuyuko, you're quite early. And it looks like you have your sake."

Youmu's hands balled into fists for a second before relaxing them, remembering the anguish she had felt earlier.

"My, My" replied Yuyuko, as the two faced each other with their deceiving smiles. "You're always the early one aren't you? Did you persuade Reimu to allow you to attend this wonderful banquet?"

"I certainly did. It was quite troublesome but I managed to sway her" said Yukari.

"Then for your hard work, you deserve my sake. I heard about what you are doing and I thought I should give you a refreshing drink" said Yuyuko, holding out her sake towards Yukari.

Yukari looks at her in a relaxed manner, hiding her questionable outlook. How Yuyuko managed to keep such a straight face is without a doubt convincing, but Yukari is smarter than that.

Yukari pretends to play along and gracefully takes the wine. "Thank you so much. I needed this, you are so thoughtful of others, Yuyuko~"

"Ehehehe..." coyly laughs Yuyuko, although she begins to get a little nervous as Yukari pops the top off the sake.

Just beside Yukari's feet was a gap that recently opened. Yukari tipped the sake bottle to let the liquid pour into the gap.

Yuyuko looked, or perhaps pretended to look appalled, while Youmu began to get angry. Why would you waste such a gift in front of her mistress? Her hand was on her sword, ready to strike if necessary, but doing so may break the fragile material of the sake bottle.

As the last drop fell into the gap, Yukari closed it before holding the sake bottle upright, the top facing the sky.

"Yukari...how could you..." Yuyuko stopped when she's hears the sound of a bottle being refilled. Yukari grins as she shook the sake, making a sloshing sound as it gradually stopped. Youmu sighed, and looked at her mistress with an apathetic look, knowing her little masquerade has come to an end.

"Someday, Yuyuko, someday, when I grow tired of living~" said Yukari, before walking away with Yuyuko's sake.

"Ah, so you caught me...again" said Yuyuko, who is strangely still grinning before slowly turning towards Youmu. Her eyes began to emit tears as Youmu looks surprised.

"Mistress Yuyuko?" said Youmu in question, although the words seemed predictable and repeated, she slowly lifted her hands off the sword.

"Oh Youmu, I could never fool anyone" said Yuyuko, her voice audibly breaking up before falling into Youmu's arms, and silently crying.

"Oh no you couldn't fool anyone even if you tried" added Yukari in the background, which made Yuyuko cry even harder. Yukari was definitely not helping at all.

Youmu rolled her eyes and rubbed her Mistress's back, finding her own Mistress's endeavor ridiculous. "It's okay. It's okay."

*End Flashback*

**Ken's POV**

(Umm, what the hell? What in that flashback says anything about a fight?)

(Yuyuko wasn't even being aggressive. She needs to man up...wrong words.)

Chen looks like she's trying really hard to hold back her laughter. Her cheeks are puffed out and her left hand are on her mouth. She lets out a "kukuku" every now as she struggles to stifle her laugh. Youmu again leers at Chen, while sipping her tea.

Yuyuko was...weirdly in tears, probably because she remembers what Yukari added while she was crying. She continues looking up at the sky for no reason.

(Big deal. Yukari trolls everyone, but you act like you're the special one.)

(What the hell was in that wine anyway? Why would Yukari just put it back in the wine?)

(Is Yuyuko more sadistic than I thought? I thought she was just a moe-blob...who can invoke death at will.)

(Everyday I realize how sadistic can a touhou character be if they want to. First Meiling, now Yuyuko. Two unlikely people who can be sadistic...)

The pain on my leg has numbed from a sharp sting to a dull yet warm feeling. I took extra caution not to touch it as I slowly stood up, using my hands as support on the ground. However, it was very hard to bend my knee with the swollen bruise since it hurts like HELL. I ended up standing up on one leg and leaving my other leg straight and limp, trying to minimize any pain that could come from the leg.

(It was kinda weird how the ground was cold when the sun has been shining for a long while.)

(It's Gensokyo. It's crazier than the idea of a police force in Burnout Paradise.)

(Now how am I going to go around like...I could just float.)

I touched off about 3 inches off the ground, making it easier for me to get around with a crippled-like leg.

Reimu eyed me before saying "Go do something useful and clean up that mess you made in my courtyard."

(Huh? Shrine Maiden say what?)

"What mess?" I asked sarcastically.

Instead of pointing it out like a courteous person should, she instead throws a blue ofuda towards me from out of nowhere. I moved a little bit, letting it graze past my chest. Turning around, I see it struck the ground before a seemingly dried blood puddle. I heard a distinct groan from Reimu

Overhearing Yuyuko saying to Youmu that she missed another spot, I rolled my eyes and looked at Reimu. "Uhh Reimu? I don't think a broom would-"

"Scrape it off. Are you stupid? You can't just brush it off" barked Reimu in response, before groaning again.

(What's with that groaning? You got problems...)

"With what?"

Reimu facepalms before saying "the blue talisman I just threw at you. Oh you're so stupid..."

(Hey don't get an attitude at me miko. I'm crippled, I'm supposed to get special privileges...like being able to sit in the middle of the street or kicking open women bathroom stalls.)

I threw Reimu an angry glare before turning towards the talisman. The last time I looked at her, she was staring at something in the sky.

(She don't look like much right now...then again, she never does.)

I reached out with my hand, about to pick up the card as I leaned in with my chest.

(Come on...don't make me have to get back on the ground just to get-)

All of a sudden, the ground before me suddenly erupted in smoke as it was like an asteroid just hit. I immediately fell back as I landed on my back, repulsed by the immediate shock.

(What the? What the hell is going on? Why is there smoke?)

I elevated my upper body just to see a smoke pillar, with rubble scattering all over the place. As the smoke was slowly dissipating, I discerned a human shape in it.

(Who's that? Is there a viking in Gensokyo...)

(Wait..)

I strained my eyes, trying to discern horn shapes on the head.

(Who the hell could it..)

The human shape quickly flew out of the smoke. With a smoke wisp following in its momentum, it struck the ground very close to my man jewels with my legs spread out. I looked in shock to see a girl who stunk of alcohol. A girl with knee length light brown hair done up in a ponytail in a tattered pink blouse and a long, purple skirt. Her horns stuck out from her head as she was adorned with chain accessories and ribbons. Her eyes were covered in a white blindfold. The fist she hit the ground with made cracks and made little pieces chip off.

(Oh fuck! It's fast!)

"YUKARI~!" boomed the girl with a menacing yet girlish voice, facing me directly in the face. Her breath literally blasted up my nose, making my eyes water from the overpowering smell of alcohol.

As my vision of seeing the girl blurred due to my watery eyes, I began to think. And as I conclude who the unknown girl is, I had an overwhelming feeling of dread.

(Oh shit...Suika...she almost got my balls too...oh shit.)

This chapter originally intended to be a very long one. But I decided to release a part two soon.  
Enjoy! Review and Comment please! Even if you're just a lurker~


	54. Supremacy Chapter Final Part 2

Complication

**Ken's POV**  
As the oni froze me to the ground by threatening me, I quickly tried to think of an escape from her eventual wrath.

(I need to get out of here...maybe she won't notice if I move to the...)

At that moment, Suika sent her fist up my chin, uppercutting me into the air. My teeth were shut tight from the impact as I looked like I had a pompous face.

(OW FUCK!)

My teeth stung as I placed my hand on my chin before forcefully pulling it to get them to stop being stuck together.

(I hate to think what would have happen if my tongue was in between those cheeks...)

(Good thing teeth doesn't break in Gensokyo.)

I stopped myself in the air to prevent straying from the Hakurei Shrine. In my somewhat watery vision, I was high above the courtyard.

(Damn it, where's Yukari when you need her? I got a freaking oni who's yelling her name at me for no reason.)

"I can smell yous~" yelled Suika before throwing a black ball towards me. It kept making loops in the air as it twisted around and around in its seemingly random path.

(Wait! A black ball! If I can remember from playing SWR, it's supposed to...)

During my train of thought, it ominously stops in the air...and interrupted my train of thought.

(What's it doing? Is it defected?)

I looked at Suika, who seems to be trying to smell the air with her nose, moving her head awkwardly in the air like someone just made fresh pancakes.

(Ohh...maybe she can't smell over her own damn scent of alcohol. At least she's so drunk she doesn't think about taking off the blindfold, not like she looks like she cares.)

The black ball seemed to grow smaller as I sighed in relief, before it imploded into itself and swelled up instantly to about five times its size.

(Wow..what a huge package in something so small.)

Now the black ball is sucking in everything. I totally did not just make that observation because the tree leaves were coming off of the trees nearby and my shirt is wavering in its direction.

(Good thing I'm far from that thing. Otherwise...I don't wanna know.)

"If I can't smell you, I'll just suck you in!" exclaimed Suika, intently looking at the black ball.

(That sure is lazy, the problem is that you only have one ball out. How the hell are you supposed to-)

Yet again my train of thought was interrupted when she threw out several more black balls swerving in dizzily motion.

(Oh for the love of Gensokyo...)

They each imploded into literally black holes like the first one, which is still sucking in more stuff. The weird part is...some things got stuck in between two holes, except for the leaves, they were just ripped in half.

(It must be really strong if I get close to them.)

(I don't think I want to know what would happen if I got stuck like that.)

Despite having that thought, I couldn't help but give into the temptation of what could happen. I pictured myself being in between two holes, my shirt and pants being ripped in half, revealing my underwear, and incurring the failed wrath that is the shrine maiden with the ofuda being sucked into the holes.

(I shalt be another Mannosuke if that happened..)

(I wouldn't want to ruin the purity of the Hakurei Shrine with my rock hard abs. Oh ho definitely not~)

(I should probably take the initiative now. I'm going to blast her with my ambush card!)

From my pocket where a card suddenly appeared when I thought of it, I took it out and declared in a whisper "Seeker Sign! Ambush!"

15 globe bullets are on each flank of me, before they rushed themselves towards the drunk little oni.

(Good thing she's blindfolded too, you can't smell danmaku. Unless I totally want them to smell like rosemary or whatever.)

(Hmm...I should remember that. Scented danmaku, it would come in handy. Illusion danmaku would be nice too, but that would be copying off a useless little rabbit's idea.)

(Then again, there is no such thing called copyright in Gensokyo. It's a dog-eat-dog world but with no harm and fought with cards.)

(Reminds me of pink leaves on trees that capture people, I don't know why. Must be off of some anime I watched.)

(Hey, what is my spell card doing?)

I witnessed the globe bullets speeding past the holes, but they were gradually being slowed down as my lips turned into a frown and my eyes narrowed. Then as I predicted a second before, the bullets were sucked into the holes. I was disappointed as none of them hit Suika, who seems to be walking towards me on the ground.

(God...I feel so dumb. If I knew the ofuda would go straight into the holes, what makes me think my bullets wouldn't go past them scot-free either?)

I glared at Suika through the strangely opaque holes, as she was directly under me, and she had her arms tucked around her legs bending down.

(I should probably get ou-FUCK!)

I was unaware of the fact the holes sucked in everything, as I was being distracted by the leaves just hitting me in the face.

(What the fuck is this? I mean, I just cussed in my thoughts for getting hit with leaves.)

My bullets stopped after a few seconds, dissipating in thin air. The black balls also disappeared, finally ending the attack of the leaves.

(Thank goodness that stopped. I love how Suika stopped my spell card with black balls that she can easily make.)

(I just realized I have one hell of a useless spell card, what's the point of it now? hmm...)

(Is it possible to discard spell cards?)

While I was thinking and wiping off the leaves off my body, I immediately felt a bump on my legs in the air by an unknown force. It didn't hurt, but it just took me by surprise, especially since my legs feel like they are lying on something.

Looking down, I saw that the little loli turned into a big loli. Her hair felt surprisingly smooth. I was expecting a bit more coarse, thick, and sticky hair.

(If I was more lower in the air, I don't think I would like that, especially since her horn is right next to me.)

(Am I supposed to be doing something right..oh SHIT RUN!)

I immediately tried to fly out of there, but the oni grabbed me in my escape, squeezing me with her fingers. The fact that she was touching my bruise was not helping at all.

(To her, I'm like a plush toy right now. A very uncomfortable plush toy who's going to smell like alcohol all day.)

Literally, her hand was sticky and had a really strong alcohol smell. It was Suika's right hand, so she must have used that sake bottle with that hand.

(Hey, how come I'm not trying to get out right now? Then again, I should not be able to break an oni's grip, especially if she's like ten times my height.)

She lifted me above her head slowly, before throwing me towards the ground. I hit the ground with the pain on my leg searing. I rolled over a few times before I stopped, I kept my eyes on Suika, trying to figure out what she's going to do next.

(Damn it, I'm a cripple, you don't throw cripples you stupid oni!)

All of a sudden, Suika shrunk back to her usual height, before she took out her sake that came out of nowhere, and proceeds to chug it.

(What a magical bottle...)

Suika stops pouring, wipes her mouth, and makes the bottle magically disappear behind her back. Then she runs towards me with her arms flailing in the air with a drunkish grin and her eyes seemingly closed.

My leg hurts too much for me to even twitch. The pain was just too much for me to bear.

(So much for Meiling's training!)

Suika was getting closer by the moment. Though it may look like Suika is asking for a bear hug with her arms outstretched, she actually wants to beat me down into a pulp.

(Wait a second, can't I just fly up to evade her?)

With my still body, I flew up into the air.

(Jeez, I can still smell the alcohol from up here...man that still hurts!)

The pain has dulled but it hasn't stopped from literally stunning me. Suika still appears to be running towards me as if I was still on the ground.

Observing her, she seems to slowed down a bit, before bending her knees and flipping forward.

(That's amazingly coordinated for someone who's drunk.)

However, I was expecting her to also fall flat on her face. I mean, it's pretty unlikely for someone to do a flip like that and land on their feet unless he or she watched too many drunken fist movies. Her body suddenly became as stiff as a javelin in mid air as her entire body was in a 45 degree angle towards the ground. She seemed to somehow 'hurl' herself with her feet being the spear, hitting the ground hard.

She immediately rebounded off, but as soon as she did that, a colossal crystal has rose up, chipping off the courtyard tiles like it was nothing.  
It was unbelievable how her own little feet caused a crystal like that to rise up. I was facing the crystal in the air as it continued to rise up. It gave me an unbelievable shock when the very tip almost prickled my nose.

(Oh sweet jesus, that scared the shit out of me.)

At the same rate it went up, the crystal is receding into the ground, right before it transforms into earth strangely.

(That's so weird.)

(Wait, where's Suika?)

I focused so much attention onto the crystal that I didn't even pay any heed to Suika. I looked around frantically for Suika, just in case she might try to jump me. That pain was ignorable enough now for me to freely move my limbs around.

(You're not supposed to be able to ambush someone when you're drunk!)

"She's over there" nonchalantly said Reimu, pointing towards me.

(By the way miss shrine maiden, your courtyard is getting damaged and ugly. Shouldn't you even give a shit helping me out instead of sitting there sipping your little goddamn cup of tea? You're supposed to have an effing sense of duty!)

"Why are you pointing at me?" I asked, getting a glare from Reimu like I was the one being impudent. "Shouldn't you even be helping?"

"What's the point? I'm too tired. And you can always clean it up later" said Reimu, making me face palm.

(Oh you little lazy...)

Holding back my anger, even if said miko was 'too tired', I said confidently "did you know to repair the courtyard, it costs money?"

The shrine maiden was disrespectfully sipping her tea when she heard the word money, she froze when she heard it in the same sentence as repair.

"I'll pay for the repairs!" said Yuyuko whimsically with that smirk on her face. Youmu raised her eyebrows at her offer.

(Why would you wanna help her? She should pay for it herself.)

"And that leaves you to repair it" said Reimu, giving a smile to Yuyuko beside her.

(Stupid ghost princesses...wait, who pays you the money anyway? You may be a princess but where the hell do you get your money?)

(I never thought I could be so angry at Touhou characters. So much for taking it easy.)

(I would so give the bird to Reimu right now if she actually knows what it means.)

All of a sudden, I felt a very hot force punch me in the back. The next thing I knew, I was flying towards Yuyuko.

(Crap, I forgot to turn around for Suika!)

(All I have to do now is to regain control and...Youmu, why did you just throw your tea cup directly in the air?)

The next second, Youmu was doing her job as a sentinel for Yuyuko, who didn't seem to be fazed by a human projectile at all.

(Great...)

Youmu whipped her leg around to form a reverse roundhouse kick. As she twirled around, missing Reimu's ribbon by a hair, she connected her foot and my chest together, forcing me back.

My vision tumbled around as I just experienced the sudden shock of being kicked back.

(Okay, STOP!)

I forced myself to stop in the air, causing myself to be a little bit delirious. It felt like I just lurched forward in a car then being pushed back in your seat, without that gut feeling you would get from wearing a seat belt.

(Why am I still upside dow-...shit.)

I saw Suika launch a metal chain towards me. Who knows where she got that from? I made a barrel round to the right and managed to dodge it. I wouldn't want to know what would happen to me if I got wrapped up in that.

All of a sudden, it magically disappeared as I righted myself to face Suika in the proper position, who is now just standing there.

(Now time to attack!)

I brought out my hands and brought forth the seeking sand attack. Innumerable amounts of danmaku bullets are pouring out of my hands towards Suika. Despite that mysterious hum I'm getting from the danmaku hitting Suika, she continues to stand there impetuously.

"Heh, I never knew you used such weak attacks, Yukari" taunted Suika, only succeeding in me looking at her in disdain.

(Again with the Yukari thing...)

"Enough!" declared Suika before throwing out another black ball that turned into a black hole in front of Suika shortly. It began sucking in my danmaku as they changed their course towards the black hole. The hum is now gone from my head and I had to fly back constantly to prevent being sucked in.

(Hey! That's cheating! I knew I shouldn't have tried it after what she's done to my seekers.)

(I wonder how something like that will be canceled out in a danmaku fight...)

I stopped using my now useless attack. With her drunken revelry, my danmaku wouldn't even hurt her by a little. I started to get frustrated.  
(Goddamn it, none of my attacks are working!)

(Now all I got left is my splitting laser. But what good will that do? It will only split into little danmaku balls.)

(I'm going to need backup if I have to take her on. I know Reimu won't help me for sure.)

Getting one glance behind me while trying to keep my attention on Suika, I noticed that no one was there except Reimu. I did a double take to make sure my vision wasn't fooling me from fatigue. I instantly felt almost all hope escape from me.

(Fuck...where did they go!)

(Why is Reimu the only one that's there?)

"Yukari, give up! Blinding me did nothing but make my smell stronger!" jeered Suika.

(...wait...maybe there is some hope.)

(If I can go up to her face and take that off, she will stop attacking!)

(But if I do get close, there are so many things she could do right now to me.)

(Then I have to do this right, I have to try to first burn it off with my splitting laser. Then I will charge in as fast as I can.)

I placed my full attention on Suika who had her arms outstretched in the air directly above her head. Her fingers were spread out. Above those hands was an orange ball accumulating in size. It was fiery as there were various flares coming from them.

(That looks like a spirit bomb..off of Dragon Ball Z. Now that I think about it, Goku and Suika do seem somewhat similiar.)

(But I can't focus on that right now. It's all about getting that blindfold off.)

A spell card appeared in my hand. I held it up and declared "Split Sign! Splitting Beam!" as Suika's spirit bomb was three times the proportion of her.

I put my hands in a kamehameha pose, palms faced toward Suika, before unleashing a tiny beam of hell. Luckily for me, I accurately hit Suika in between her eyes on her blindfold.

"Bahahahaha! I can't feel that, you puny youkai! Take my spirit bomb!" cackled Suika before hefting the spirit bomb with her hands just as the beam grew to the tip of my fingers.

(I DON'T HAVE TIME TO LISTEN TO YOUR GODDAMN DRAGON BALL Z REFERENCES!)

The good news is that she's somewhat getting pushed back by the beam, although she doesn't seem to be doing anything right now to be honest. The bad news is that the spirit bomb is on its way towards me, albeit slow-moving. But with its massive size, it's starting to pick up speed.

(Come on...I don't even have to split them, just push her back a bit more...)

Suika's center of balance begin to tip towards the ground, as Suika strangely lets herself fall back.

(NOW!)

I immediately canceled my spell card, dashing under the massive spirit bomb, which is now headed towards Reimu.

Just before gravity's momentum makes her fall into the ground, I quickly grabbed Suika's face and shoved her into the ground with one fluid motion.

Her own head cracked the very tiles she hit, as I fumble around her face before latching onto her blindfold. It felt like leather despite seeing only a white cloth With all my strength and using the other hand braced on her face with my palm on her chin and my fingers latching onto her cheeks, I pulled as hard as I could.

(Damn it Yukari, why did you have to make such a strong knot!)

The blindfold was slowly tearing off, but it showed a lot of resilience strangely. I got frustrated even more and put more pressure on her face, when she just started to mumble incoherently and frantically. Her arms went up and down like a sledgehammer, as her hands continued to make more and more cracks.

Suddenly, my own momentum carried me backwards as I successfully teared the blindfold off of her. I found myself holding a piece of cloth that somehow felt like leather.

Sweating a lot, I dropped the cloth to the ground and sighed, floating only a few feet away from Suika, who seemed to relax on the ground.

Tilting my head up and peering down, Suika's eyes were still closed.

(God...it's finally over.)

"Hey, open your eyes" I said, breathing heavily.

And Suika did. She opened her eyes and sat up as if nothing ever happened to her in the first place, her face did seem slightly burned. That's at least one thing I managed to do to her.

Looking at myself, I looked completely beat up. There were bleeding scratches on my skin, my bruise got worse, and my lungs felt like I just got punched in the gut.

She sat up and looked at me. Immediately her face became scrunched with confusion. "Heyyyyy~, you're not Yukari. Where did she go?"

(Oh for the love of...)

"HNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGG~"

**Third POV**

Ken has fainted to the ground. Suika grew more confused as she stood up and 'poked' him on the ground multiple times. When I said poked, I meant punches.

"Heeyyyy~! Where's Yukari~?" drunkenly said Suika, slurring her words.

At the donation box, Reimu sighed again. She barely fended off that massive spirit bomb that could have destroyed her shrine. If she didn't already use her spell card to block it, she would owe Yuyuko a lot more than needed.

Taking her last sip of tea and placing it on the donation box, she got off of it and landed on the ground. Her legs shook for a second before they started moving. Reimu goes towards Suika with a false smile and a gohei behind her back.

Various beatings can be heard on both sides. Normally Reimu would have defeated her quicker, but the fact that she is tired doesn't really help against a now almost sober oni. Reimu gets angrier and angrier everytime she tries to use danmaku against Suika and they end up canceling themselves out in the black holes.

As Suika yelped from Reimu spanking her on the backside with her gohei, the Hakurei Shrine doors immediately opened a little bit. A head popped out who is none other than Chen. She looked irritated as her mop hate immediately flew off.

"Hey! We're trying to play Po-ker here!" said Chen, mispronouncing the word poker.

"Mistress Yuyuko! Stop taking my cards!"

"It's called acquisition Youmu~, it's what I have to do~!"

"Stop bending the rules!"

My desire to write more is slowly growing. Maybe it has something to do with the winter.  
This concludes the Supremacy Arc, after about 7 months, we can finally move onto another chapter. Hopefully the hiatus I have will be shorter and shorter.  
Ah well, comment and review please!


	55. CI Chapter 1

**Yukari, Baby!**

Third POV

"My, I can't believe it still fits" remarked a half-naked blonde woman. She looks like someone whom you never seen before in Gensokyo. A woman wearing an Aeropostale brand shirt. Dark blue, monotone flowers were made down the side of the shirt, going against the light blue background and the subtle brand name on top of the flowers. Underneath is an embroidered bra that is also blue with dark borders. At the bottom, she is only wearing a matching pair of a bikini.

In her bathroom, many ribbons can be found on the counter. A plugged in hair straightener is seen beside the sink. The faucet was dripping water very slowly. The countertop itself was marble while its base was wooden. The floor was tiled with light and intricate patterns. Discarded dresses can be found in the bathtub and on the toilet. A seemingly young woman stands in front of a glass pane mirror above the countertop, before stepping back. She stops about a foot in front of a tan wall. She curves her hips and pivots to marvel at all the angles she sees.

"I don't wear this often, I wonder why? As they say, I'm sexy. Sexier than the city" says the woman again, touching her finger to her lips. She then takes her fingers to her ass softly and slowly. "Tsssshhhhh. All I need to do now is to get my hair cut, perhaps medium length?"

The woman looks down at the sink, and smiles. "Now for the final piece."

On the knob of the sink that controls the hot water, a self-explanatory H found on its somewhat spiky knob; is a pair of weathered jean shorts, the edges seem to be ripped out.

The woman takes the jean shorts and begins to wear it, lifting her feet up into the holes. As her derriere slowly becomes more and more covered, the woman smiles even more. When they are fit, the woman zips up the zipper at the front, and buttoning the copper rivet, making it tight on her. "My, that's tight."

The woman looks at herself in the mirror one last time. The youkai grabs the sunglasses and dons them on top of her hair. "I, Yukari Yakumo, will shall again go by Yuna Venicci."

A saddened look comes across her face when she sees her paper fan on the counter. "Ah well, I don't need it anyway."

She swipes her hotel card key and cell phone off the counter and puts them in her jean pockets, each accessory having its own pocket.

She heads out of the bathroom, closing the door.

Yukari was just about to open the door out of her hotel room when she felt her own bare feet brushing against the strange black slippers with black laces she usually wears. She sits down on the floor, looking at her own slippers in disdain.

"(Oh no, I can't wear that. Not in this world. I need something else.)"

Yukari thinks for a second, glancing up with her finger on her lips. Then she lifted that very finger into the air, as if she had an idea.

"(I've seen a lot of women wear those so called vans. Maybe I should try those...)"

Yukari opens a gap in the air. A shoebox with the label "Vans" drops right next to the slippers. Yukari smiled as she closed the gap. She reaches over with her back stretched to grab the box and place it on her lap. She takes off the top and pulled out a light blue skate shoe, comparatively thinner and smaller than a tennis shoe.

Again, Yukari smiles; already she seems to have liked this particular brand of shoes. She eagerly takes out the paper within the shoe, and does the same for the other one. She sets them on the ground before standing up, setting the box aside beforehand. She slips her feet into the shoes, a perfect fit for her.

"(Now all that's left is to tie them)" thought Yukari, as she puts one of her knees on the ground so she could tie one of her shoes. Her fingers move with great speed, before the laces on her shoe already become tied up in a ribbon. Yukari alternates with her other knee, tying the other shoe.

Yukari stands up, tapping the front of her shoe against the ground, before moving once again to the door.

"(My feet are going to hurt so bad. Nothing like a foot massage from Ran when I come back)"

She heads out of her hotel room, closing the door behind her and locking it with one swipe of her card. A click responded indicating the door is locked and secure. A cold, drafty wind came along and struck Yukari for a second before subsiding. Yukari shivers and covers her arms.

"Ohhhhhh~, so cold" moans Yukari, before blushing and covering her mouth. "My, that could get anyone to help me."

Yukari smiles, before walking down the carpet hallway. Yukari plays with her hair along the way before she stops at an elevator. She knowingly pressed a button that meant to go down.

"Hmm, it's nice to get some exercise once in a while~" said Yukari, looking at her shoes. She hears the whir of the elevator coming up. "Ahh, it's here."

The two inch thick elevator doors open as a man with a snorkel mask and flippers shuffles out with water squishing. Yukari walks in nonchalantly, before turning around to see the man staring at her like he never seen anything like her before.

Yukari presses the lobby floor button labeled with a L beside an assortment of buttons while looking at a man.

"(I should try testing myself out from how I seen humans work in this particular world)" thought the youkai, before slowly taking her finger off of the G button and, starting at her lips, she caresses her finger down her body.

The man drops the pipe he was holding in his mouth, slowly getting turned on.

Yukari smiles seductively, and stops her hand below her zipper. She playfully rubs her underside and licks her lips, just as the elevator doors were beginning to close. Just what is that Yukari up to?

"(Good thing he didn't notice)" thought Yukari, closing a hidden gap in between her legs. When the elevator doors closed, with the man out of sight, Yukari holds out a wallet in front of her.

She smiles before she opens it, looking at the contents, intent on gathering only one thing: money. She unfolds the leather wallet, and fingers her way around to the paper money section, the very back pocket behind the credit cards and a driver's license.

"(What a shame, he's only 24 years old)" thought Yukari, feeling sorry for him. But she goes ahead and takes an amount of $121 dollars that was already taped together in the start.

The elevator lurched, making Yukari lose her center of balance for a second, as it descends to the ground floor. Nobody seems to want to use the elevator right now. "(I never did get used to that. I should give this back.)"

Opening a gap, She simply throws in the wallet. In the man's swimming trunks, a lump suddenly appeared, meaning the wallet is at where it should be.

The elevator stops, as Yukari again loses her sense of balance before becoming stable again. The elevator doors open, revealing a luxurious lobby room with the lobby desks in a corner. Various couches are seen with coffee tables meant for relaxation. People shuffle in and out of the lobby, sometimes with a bellhop assisting them with their luggage. Yukari heads in the direction towards the main doors. Right before she's about three feet from the doors, Yukari dons her sunglasses that was on her head. The doorman opened the door for her, bringing in a nice breeze of warmth and the smell of the nearby flowers in the garden. Yukari smiled at the doorman and walked outside in broad daylight.

Seeing a nearby valet offering a man to take his car and park it, she walks past them, eying the stranger's Dodge Viper. The street is in front of her as cars whiz by, while Yukari continues to walk on the sidewalk, going to the hair stylist nearby. Across the street were parking lots and various stores and motels. On Yukari's side was a line of towering luxury hotels. The tinted blue glass panes shone with the sun.

Yukari was attracting attention, apparently everyone was looking at her as she walked by them. Men gawked and made flirty comments towards her while women continued on their way.

"You're pretty."

"Nice ass."

"I would tap that."

"Damn nigga, she's cold."

"Are her boobs natural?"

"Snooki likey!"

Yukari liked the attention, although she was kinda getting disturbed by the number of sexual comments she's been receiving, especially from the girl with the bump in her hair and her strange orange tan. At least for her, she's close to her destination. She peered down at her own breasts, blushing at how large they are to the men walking beside her.

"(It's been a while since I've been here.)"

Yukari only takes occasional trips to the human world for fun unless she has some business to do. To her, this seems like a vacation from sleeping all day and watching over Ken. She knows her way around in this place.

"(Hmm, maybe after I get my haircut, I'll get Ken something from his world.)"

Yukari looks in glee at the destination before her. An outlet mall, after a hard day of stealing wine, there's nothing better to do than to shop extravagantly. But first, she has to get her haircut from the corner stylist that is very close.

Yukari walks up to the door, seeing a large room full of beauty. She opens the door, as a soft electronic bell can be heard from all around the shop. This beauty salon has more than just the average cut your hair and be done with it. It's also like a spa, with various facilities ranging from shampoos to facials.

Yukari walks in, immediately gaining an immediate response.

"Welcome back, Yuna! Same treatment as before?" said a peppy woman behind a desk in front of Yukari.

Yukari nods in response. "Yes Melody. Is my personal stylist here?"

"Yes, she just got done with a client. I'll ping her."

Melody holds down an unknown button with her petite finger, before saying "Juli! Yuna's here!"

She lifts her finger off the button. "She'll be here in a second~."

"Excellent" replied Yukari, before sitting at a nearby couch and reading a beauty magazine in front of her on the coffee table to pass some time.

"Hello Yuna!" said another peppy voice.

Yukari looks up and puts away her glasses, putting it partly in her shirt. "Hello, Juli!"

"Ready for me to take care of your hair?"

"Ready as ever~!"

Yukari gets off the couch and follows Juli around the salon, leaving Melody to calculate Yuna's bill once more.

Yukari's treatment is basically getting her hair shampooed and getting it cut to about medium length. But most of the time, she continues to talk to her personal stylist, while catching the eyes of jealous women.

"(I love these two people. It's so easy to strike up a conversation with them.)"

As soon as Yukari was done, Juli lets Yukari admire herself in the mirror for a second. "Grrl, you are looking beautiful."

"Girl, yes I do!" replied Yukari, smiling, as the hair stylist takes the blanket like cloth off of her. Juli leads her back to Melody, who waves to her.

"Okay Yuna, $110 dollars please~" asked Melody. Yukari responds by giving them the wad of cash she got from the man earlier.

"Keep the change please" said Yukari, winking.

Melody giggles in delight and stuffs the remaining money in her shirt. "Thank you!"

Yukari leaves the store, and continues to walk around in the outlet mall.

A sign on a store gets her attention. Yukari gets interested and begins to walk to it, ready to go shopping. This is basically how she spent the rest of her day. She walks into stores and see if she likes anything. If no one is nearby, she just gaps it into her hotel room. If people are nearby, then she gaps their purses/wallets to her hands out of sight of the person she stole from. Then she proceeds to buy the item she wants. The first store she went to, "Bath and Body Works," she had to pickpocket money from people via gap. After getting some products, she was given an unusually large bag. She uses that bag to gap the items she bought back to her hotel room.

In other words, Yukari is having one hell of a shopping spree, enjoying the attention she is getting especially with her new haircut.

Now it is night, as Yukari was just resting on a bench. She didn't like how her feet felt from breaking in her new shoes. People were starting to leave the outlet mall as they shuffle to their cars and drive back home.

"(Whew! I did so much today. My feet are all sweaty and they hurt real bad. I should take them off.)"

Yukari does so, untying her shoes that her hot feet were trapped in. After a few minutes, Yukari felt relaxed, feeling a breeze brush past her feet, cooling them down.

"(I should probably head to the hotel now. I want Ran to massage my feet.)"

After a few minutes of letting the pain in her feet subside, she stands up and begins walking on her bare feet, leaving her shoes behind. She walks with her empty bag as she walks out of the outlet mall onto the parking lot.

Yukari secretly eyes a suspicious van alone in the parking lot, when its doors suddenly open. 5 people got out of the van. They were skinny, desperate-looking men who had their eyes set on Yukari. They walked ominously towards her, as their wood appears to be growing too.

"(My, are they desperate for some love..I guess I should give them a surprise.)"

Yukari drops her bag. She watches carefully as she gaps in two very clandestine items into her bag. She gets ready to use them as soon as possible. The five men encircle her as they get closer and closer, breaking into Yukari's personal bubble.

Yukari bends down and grabs the two items in her bag, not taking them out yet.

The men starts to make moves. They grabbed Yukari's boobs, put their extensions to touch her ass, and even one man rubbed Yukari's underside. Yukari secretly wanted to kill them right now, but she's waiting for the perfect moment.

"Boys, we are going to have a good time. She's letting us do this shit" said one of them, a rough and deep voice.

"Ohhhh~, do you want me so bad? do you boys?" seductively moans Yukari, gripping her items tighter.

A string of "yeah, baby!" made its way through its group. One of them grabs Yukari from behind, as that person's hands found its way to her zipper. Yukari despises how uncomfortably close he is, but she can't do it yet, she has to let them become relaxed and off their guard.

"You like it, don't you whore?" teased one of them. Yukari at this point would gladly let him die in the most painful way possible, but she instead replies "Ohh~ yes, I like boys like you."

The anxiety creeps up on Yukari even more uncomfortably as the man unzips her zipper and places his hand on her bikini. He begins to playfully rub it. Yukari unfortunately begins to get turned on as well, but she is still focused on killing them.

"Ohhhh~" Yukari makes a fake moan. "Yeah, please...more."

Everyone in the group begins to unzip their jeans and cargo pants, including the man who grabbed her from behind. He leaves the hand on her bikini so he could unzip his own jeans.

"(NOW!)"

Yukari quickly takes out the two items out of her bag. Two Uzis were in her grasp as she pointed the hand-held submachine guns towards two of them. She pulled the trigger and lets loose a fury of bullets for being sexually assaulted with unusual proficiency. She seemed very angry, moving her arms and jerking the guy off her back.

Taken by surprise, they fell to the ground as multiple bullets has pierced their unprotected bodies. Their eyes rolled up and their body loosened up ironically.

"Ohh~, you can't touch this darling" said Yukari, turning around to see the man begging for mercy. His hands were clasped together, as Yukari shakes her head.

She throws the two Uzis at the man, sending him backwards by a foot, before she gaps herself away back to a hidden spot beside her hotel. She became thoroughly disgusted with herself by the encounter, zipping up her shorts.

"(Never again will I ever let anyone like them get close to me. It's sad how the human world works, men trying to lose their virginity when they get themselves killed.)"

She views the man via a gap, who is currently being pushed into a police car while policemen set up a don't cross section around the dead bodies.

"(That's what he gets for trying to rape me.)"

Yukari realizes she forgot her bag, but then she decides it isn't worth trying to get back.

"(That's right. I need to pay up)"

Yukari opens a gap, a box plopped onto the ground. Yukari opens it to reveal the alcohol she collected from the girls in Gensokyo. She smiles before she hefts it up and makes her way to the entrance of her hotel.

"Welcome back" greeted the doorman as he opened the door for Yukari.

Yukari smiles back as she began to walk towards one of the desks for checking in.

"Hello Yuna. I see you brought your payment" said the clerk of the check-in desk, who happens to be the manager.

"Yes I have, these kind are extremely rare and exotic. Something that would bring tourists into your hotel to have a taste of your most exquisite wine" said Yukari, placing it on the desk.

"And in return, you may stay in the hotel for as long as you like, just as long you don't forget to pay up from time to time."

"I assure you, I won't" said Yukari, grinning. "I'll be in my room, sleeping and working, please tell the employees to not disturb my room."

"Don't worry about that, miss Venicci" said the manager, before his attention was grabbed by a heavily tanned man. "Ahh yes, is there anything I can do to help you, Mr. Sorrentino?"

Yukari was already on her way to the elevator, pressing the up button. She awaits impatiently, as she taps her bare feet.

The elevator doors finally open after about two minutes as many people shuffled out of the elevator. Some of them headed to some desks to check out with their luggage, others looked ready to party in a club.

The elevator is yet again alone to Yukari, as she walks in and presses her floor button. The doors closes and the elevator lurched up, as Yukari was unsteady for a second before balancing herself.

"(One eventful day, and I learned a lesson from it too~)" sung Yukari in her head.

When the elevator doors open, she immediately heads towards her room. She gets her card ready to unlock the door to her room. The card seemed to be of VIP status, whether she stole it or bought it was unknown. It was eminently golden that was singled out from the bland, silver cards everyone else usually gets.

Her feet hurt again, even after walking only so many steps in the long strides Yukari takes, but she finally makes it to her room.

"(I could just gap into my room, but that would be too easy. It's nice to get some exercise once in a while)"

With one swipe of her card, she opens the door and immediately puts the card on a nearby counter.

"(Oh my, so many boxes and things I bought in my little shopping spree.)"

Her room was neatly littered with boxes of all sorts and things she bought. From shampoo to mini cooking grills to the soda in the refrigerator, Yukari certainly went on more than a little shopping spree.

As soon as she closes and locks the door behind her, she walks towards where her balcony would be. She tugged aside the curtains and opened the door to her balcony. She immediately sits in a plastic lawn chair, breathing a sigh of relief. She looks out into the beautiful view she has.

A beach in the night as waves continue to wash up into the sand. Lights were still on in the nearby hotels while Yukari's room was dark. Myrtle Beach was certainly the place to be in these times.

Yukari looks up into the sky, seeing a luminescent full moon clashing against the night. "It's going to be a full moon soon in Gensokyo. The youkai will get more restless, and a certain teacher will go mad. I hope I don't have to lead another 'invasion' for them to learn their place."

After a few minutes of relaxing, Yukari decides it's time to go back to Gensokyo, where a youkai like her really belongs.

"(Time to check up on my shikigami~!)" thought Yukari before opening a gap to Ran and Chen. They were still in the Hakurei Shrine, Chen was curled up sleeping while Ran continued to endlessly play cards with Yuyuko and Youmu. She sees Ken resting in a nearby futon. "(My, I wonder how long they were playing.)"

She walks through the gap, generating an immediate response from the three.

"Yukari~, where were you? And what are you wearing?" asked Ran, gawking at her.

"Just something that you wear in the outside world, Ran" said Yukari, closing the gap and sitting down next to Ran. She ignores her other question, rather not wanting to explain what she's been doing.

"Do you happen to have any food, Yukari?" asked Yuyuko, getting an exasperated face from Youmu. Yukari laughed softly. "Sorry, but I'll bring in some food soon."

Yukari looks to Ran beside her. "Ran, as soon as you're done, I'll take your place playing cards, and you will massage my feet."

"Yes, Mistress Yukari" said Ran, although she wasn't exactly eager to massage the feet she can already smell.

"How was Ken? and where's Reimu?" asked Yukari.

"Well, he suffered to the oni because his spell cards never could bring any real power" said Youmu, looking at Ken and shaking her head. "Yuyuko, your turn. Oh, and Reimu is talking to the oni outside."

"My, doesn't Ken know? Even that witch knows. Today, danmaku no longer rules the battles we have. Only when you combine danmaku and melee can you win. That doesn't mean that you can't have a pure danmaku or melee spell card."

The three nod as Yukari continues talking. "Tomorrow, we need to refresh Ken again with a clean slate. Especially since it's going to be a full moon soon~. Ran, is Yuyuko cheating in Go Fish?"


	56. CI Chapter 2

**Timeless**

_Ken's POV_

I was bound to the floor in a dark room by an unknown force. Only a strange floating candle was above, barely illuminating the surrounding area. It looked like I was in some sort of log cabin. The wood floor was weathered with chips and cracks while the walls were basically logs barely standing on each other. No doors were seen in my vision and I didn't see any windows either.

I was struck with apprehension as I could barely see what lurks in the large room. Whenever I think I see something move in the darkness, it's gone. Cold sweat ran down my skin. I had no garment of clothing on except a pair of red and white plaid boxers.

(Fucking Christ, where the hell am I? It looks like I'm in some kind of religious horror movie.)

Then anxiety screwed with my brain as I looked up at the candle. My breathing was unusually fast as the candle flame almost flickered.

(I really hope there's none of them scary kids in this place. I don't really need...OH FUC-...wait, it's a woman. Who is she? How did she get in here instantly.)

I finally saw a still figure appear out of nowhere in front of me. She looked very frail and had some sort of fine instrument in her hand.

(What is that? Don't get that near me.)

My muscles contract with no avail, I couldn't move away from whatever is in front of me. The unknown force still held me down and I was breathing frantically. My eyes narrowed as I tried to discern the woman in front of me. Whatever is keeping me in here, I seem to be imprisoned for that woman.

She began to walk slowly towards me. I could slowly make out details as she got closer. She looked...dirtied, seemingly baked in a translucent layer of dust. She was very pale and skinny, as her hair had split ends that covered her breasts and her face. She wasn't wearing anything but a scantly clad panty.

The thing she was holding in her hand was in fact a syringe. But it flickered out of her hands when it went into the broad yet faint candlelight.

(Wait, she looks familiar...who is she?)

My mind raced as I looked up at her head. It was basically a head of hair, as I was unable to discern who she is.

(Bloody Mary? No, there's no mirrors.)

I looked around in a split second just in case, seeing no mirrors at all.

(Medeiros? ...no, that can't be. She's skinny and pale...but that can't be possible. There's...there's no...fuck...there's no...Medeiros doesn't have hair...but...I think that's it.)

With the false confidence I was building up, I seem to grow more prepared for whatever that woman is going to do to me. That doesn't take away the growing chill in my heart though.

(Then who's left...Damian's a boy...and...oh fuck no...no no no no no! Not...Alma.)

I looked at the woman square in the face again, who seems to be getting on top of me. Defying the unknown force, she forced my body to form a crucifix position. She sat just before my dick albeit barely on my chest.

(No! What are you going to do to me?)

Her chest and head leaned in closer to my body, her head of hair was approaching my own head.

(Wait...don't...stop!)

(I mean...GET OFF!)

I couldn't speak, it was as if my vocal cords were pulled out. My lips moved but I could not make a sound. It tortures me that I can't speak what I think.

She stopped momentarily about 6 inches away; her unclean hair was blocking out the surroundings of the log cabin.

(Damn it! If I'm going to die...or get raped, show me your face!)

It was as if she obeyed, her small hands were about to pull back her facade of hair.

My heart began to beat very fast, as I continued to try to struggle out of this unknown force. My eyes were focused on the ever-growing crack.

I saw the face of a normal person. I immediately relaxed despite the creepy atmosphere already generated.

But something wasn't right.

Her eyes were very cloudy, I could see very faint cuts in her pupils like she never cried. Her lips were cracked. Her entire face was very dry. Then for some reason, the facial features of a very dry human's face in front of me...twirled into something I thought was malignant. It stimulated my body in fear as it turned into a huge mouth of sharpened teeth. Little worms were seen crawling around in her mouth. Surprisingly, there wasn't a drop of saliva, but there was something in the middle of her mouth abyss that caught my attention. A little yet extremely worm-like figure was dropping at intervals, gaining in length. It grew more and more hideous as it got closer, turning into a big and metallic-like worm that squealed. It exhaled a strong breath of what smelled like a poorly-maintained bathroom.

(Ewww...no no no!)

It bared its little teeth as the eyeless figure dashes towards me.

(..)

_Third POV_

It was a particularly beautiful day at the Hakurei Shrine. But it was also very hot outside. The sun's glare was very strong, causing even the cracked tiles of the Hakurei Shrine's courtyard to glow, causing unneeded exposure to human eyes.

Speaking of cracked tiles, the Shrine was in disrepair. Other than the cracked tiles, the grass in various spots were seared, leaving only a thinning of the perennial grass that will soon grow back. There were some holes in the ground as if they were dug out. There are holes smaller than others, as the whole courtyard looked like Reimu decided to go on a treasure hunt. Strangely, there are earthen rocks laying nearby; tufts of grass were found on the rocks.

Overall, the shrine looked very inauspicious. Surprisingly, the building itself was untouched.

A little oni was sleeping on the Hakurei Shrine's roof. Her feet were hanging off the edge of the tiled roof. She clung onto her gourd like it was a body-sized pillow. Her expression on her face showed discomfort and anxiety, while her body sweats from the sun and her apparent nightmare. The nightmare must be involving Suika and a certain dreaded word that starts with the letter S and ends with a letter y.

Today is the first day of Suika's new living residence, the Hakurei Shrine. This may seem crazy to a normal, uneducated, backwards, dogmatic, and yet unbiased human villager, but logic doesn't exactly rule well in Gensokyo, just like this contradicting human villager example in this run-on sentence.

Reimu assured herself a way for her to get donations in her absence. And also a very primitive security system. Why primitive? Well, Suika is still sleeping whilst suffering to her nightmare of the dreaded 'S' word, and she's in broad daylight. And her drunken behavior doesn't exactly help in discerning a person willing to donate and an intruder. Plus the fact that she is an Oni, but that works both ways. An Oni is very resilient in combat, and Suika can also manipulate density, a power that other Onis would want. But as it seems right now, Reimu basically lowered the chances of her getting donations.

Speaking of Reimu, she is currently trying to wake up Ken in her shrine. Ken looked like he was on the edge while he was in his futon. The covers were already drawn off of Ken, and not even taking off his pillow could stop Ken from continuing his apparent nightmare. She even tried moving his arms around and blowing a blast of air into his face, but to no avail.

Reimu decided to stop putting in so much effort into trying to wake up Ken. She haughtily thought that she could have been done repairing the Shrine's aesthetic beauty already. She got up off the floor and wiped her face with her right hand in exasperation. Thoughts of using a certain Fantasy Seal card on Ken ran through her head, but after just remembering that she's in her shrine, Reimu thought of another alternative. A sound just whistled from nearby. A sound that sums up Reimu's current frustration over Ken. Reimu grew a little smirk, after almost blowing up in sweat.

Reimu walked into the room where she was boiling her tea, which was flavored with seared grass. A subtle substitute that Reimu liked; she never tasted seared grass before, so she's hoping that Ken would be so willing to try it.

She poured it into a single cup, before calmly putting back the cast-iron kettle. She took the cup and walked back to Ken. She threateningly held it over his unaware head.

However, when Ken began to stir violently; the border between dream and reality was about to be broken, Reimu panicked and dropped the cup over his head. The liquid flew out of the cup as it spun.

Ken opened his eyes in sheer terror out of his dream to see tea falling into his face. The liquid splashed over his entire head, blurring his eyes and slipping into his nose.

"GYAHHHHHH~! IT BURNS~!"

Ken immediately jumped up and ran out, screaming "GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME, YOU FUCKING MEDEIROS RESIDENT EVIL ALMA FREAK!" During his violent awakening, he shoved away the cup towards Reimu. It still had some tea on it, and splashed on Reimu's chest. Luckily, it was not enough to soak through to her sarashi. He instinctively slid open the door forcefully and leaped over the donation box. He ran almost like a maniac with tea blinding his way when he landed.

At the stairs leading up to the Hakurei Shrine, he accidentally took a step in the air and proceeded to fall down the stairs. "Ow"s and "Uh"s were heard from the poor Ken as he tumbled down and then rolled a bit away from the stairs.

Reimu stood there in utter bewilderment. First at Ken storming out of her shrine, then her tea-stricked outfit; what was going on that made Ken running all terrified and...stuff?

After hearing Ken fall down the stairs, she giggled as she covered her mouth before walking out of her shrine. She closed the door before heading towards Ken. She figured that her outfit would dry up in the hot sun, and that she could kill some time right now. Her outfit was already no longer dripping tea, but it still annoyed her that she has to clean up the tea on the mattress and on the floor in the shrine. She could always get Ken to clean that up anyway.

In the meanwhile, Ken finally got some sense knocked into him. He sat up grudgingly rubbing his eyes with his scratched up hands while coughing. He finally knows that he's not in his dream anymore, what is still in him is the tea. He continues to cough until the tea is gone. He ran his finger across his nostrils, before snorting up a little air. He begins to breathe normally as he looks around in his surroundings.

_Ken's POV_

(Eugh...I did not enjoy the taste of that.)

(God, now I have cuts all over my body now.)

I stood up on the ground, looking all around my body to see all the little bruises and cuts I apparently suffered during the journey down the flight of stairs.

My eyes were no longer blurry after I scratched them for a little bit. My face felt really hot, but I don't think I have any burns on me.

(Hmm? Say, how about a little deja vu?)

I remembered something similar to this happened before, only I was still running and the miko was chasing me. I smiled, thinking about how long ago that was.

(I was a noob in Gensokyo back then.)

I start to jog down the path under the canopy of trees, shading me from an otherwise very hot day. I felt the tea on my face already drying up.

(Man, I should go ahead and take off my shirt.)

I took off my shirt while jogging, leaving it in the pathway. I almost hit a tree while taking it off, but I managed to pivot myself from hitting it.

(I better not get heatstroke in this weather.)

I felt a breeze go past my body while I jogged. I looked around in my surroundings. The only thing civilized is the paved path I was jogging on. Everything else is surrounded by vegetation and trees, as if people wanted nature to stay there.

(I gotta say, it looks beautiful.)

After jogging for 6 minutes, I had no sign of being winded. The path slowly deteriorated as I continued jogging on the path barefoot. My feet began to gather up little cuts due to some little rocks I stepped on before.

I looked to my left, and saw a circle of bushes with a tree in the middle. I slowly came to a stop as I came to investigate how this was possible to have a coincidental thing like this. As I came closer, I saw a distinctive white object atop one of the bushes.

I smiled and picked it up, feeling how soft and plushy it is. It was nice to feel a piece of modern technology in this backwards world.

(Oh toilet paper, how I missed you so...too bad I don't need you no more. Gensokyo makes you comfortably constipated.)

I remembered the spot, it was where I made my first and last mark. It was gone now, probably have decomposed into the soil below, but it sure was memorable.

(Say, how did it get there anyway? I only remembered the toilet paper being at Marisa's...)

I examined the toilet paper, before putting it back atop the bush. I thought it was very sentimental. This would be the spot where if anyone needs to go take a shit, you could go here for toilet paper.

(I don't need you no more, but I'll come back whenever I gotta feeling.)

(Heh, I gotta feeling.)

I remembered the song back in the outside world. I started snapping my fingers to it as I go back to the path and began to walk on it. I start singing to every song I remembered. I sung to them as I walked down the path.

(Sometimes I throw my hands in the air sometime, saying heyo, gotta let go.)

The path seems to get more and more dilapidated as I go on, eventually turning into a dirt path. And apparently, I walked for probably five hours. I noticed the sun setting as it was noticeably cooler and the light was orange.

(Should I start going back? Or should I keep walking?)

The path that my feet was on top on looked unfinished. It was only mere dirt and bricks. Bricks were at the side, just waiting to be set, but there wasn't anyone to put them into place.

I began to see danmaku burn marks on the path, they began to get more and more numerous as it stirred my mind. It looked familiar, but what was it?

I felt a wind sweep through the forest, leaves rustled as I looked up; I saw a large clearing above. I sighed, considering going back, while trying to figure out what was so familiar about this place.

(What is it about this place that I'm trying to remember?)

While I was thinking, 6 bird youkai jumped out from the bushes nearby. They ran around me as they struck me bewildered for a few seconds before I regained my senses. They sneered at me, licking their lips on their ravenous looking faces. They look like they hadn't had dinner for a while.

One of them was standing out. She had gray eyes, short pink hair, pointed ears like an owl, and light pink bird-like wings with purple highlights. She was in white and brown clothing with an apron and a small hat. She looked like some fanatic of birds, wearing many bird-shaped accessories on her hat and apron.

(Mystia? Now I remember...they aren't going to get me this time. Let's break the ice.)

"Oh hi, Mystia! How's it going?" asked Ken, looking at the youkai. The youkai looked confused before looking straight at Mystia. She looked surprised before glaring right at me.

"Youkai. This man must have strange mind-reading powers. Eat him if you want his powers" said Mystia before flying away to the clearing, now leaving me confused.

(Well, I'm not a mind-reader. Not sure how you got that.)

(And where's that chin-chin everybody loves to hear? I only hear your friends getting ready to eat me.)

They smirked as they brandished their talon-like hands. I also smirked, for they underestimated me to be a mere human.

(I could just fly away like a little girl, but where's the fun in that? I rather see what I can do against a group of hungry-looking berserk youkai.)

I pointed at one and gestured for him with my hand to come at me. His mouth was drooling as he held out his hand and swept it like a sprinkler once, making a single wave of red danmaku. He stood there, analyzing me with his glaring eyes.

(Oh really? You really think I can't take that?)

I looked at the youkai disappointed. The wave doesn't seem to be fast enough, and when it spreads out, none of them are going to hit me if I just stand still.

And so I did, I stood there as the wave of danmaku moved past by me relatively slowly. I shook my head and gave that youkai a thumbs down, who looked surprised. The youkai looked at each other before they each made a wave of danmaku towards me. They sneered at me as they looked like they were getting ready to leap at me.

(Now it looks like the waves will hit me if I actually stand still. I bet they expect to move in panic and they will respond to wherever I go.)

(I think I rather stand here. I don't wanna move yet.)

I let some of the danmaku bullets hit me. I remembered that it used to feel like a hot drill. Now it just feels like a warm prod. The youkai looked at me bewildered before they talk to each other in the universal chin chin language. How I will understand the enunciation of the word chin? I don't know. I probably won't at all.

(Well this is boring. Why am I still here?)

I peered up at the sky for a short moment before staring back at the youkai.

(And it's getting late too.)

I decided to taunt them, if they want my body so bad, then they should actually try to get me.

"Can you youkai fight at all? You guys seem very weak" I rudely snarked. I made a little fake laugh to go along with it. Then I thought I heard someone laugh in the background, before thinking it was my imagination.

The youkai in front of me looked very angry, before saying "MINCE YOUR WORDS! HUMAN!"

He, in a furiously berserk state, lunged towards me with talons outstretched.

(This is sad. You actually fell for it.)

I sidestepped out of his way as the ground soon meets the youkai. I found a nearby large stick and picked it up. I poked his head and his wings to see if he was okay.

"Are you okay there, kid?"

I think he was enraged by that comment, because his head was lifted off the ground and was about to bite my leg. Again, I shook my head at how sad this was for that unnecessary pause that told me that you were going to bite me. I then proceeded to curb stomp his head into the earth. His whole body twitched as his head was soon in the earth.

(Your hair felt really coarse and dirty. You're not an urchin boy sweeping the earth for food, right?)

I looked around me, seeing the youkai paralyzed and actually looking terrified now. They still tried to play off their intimidation by the brandishing of their shaky hands.

(That would have been the perfect moment to jump me. But you guys...come on. I'm going back to the shrine. This is a waste of time.)

"If you guys can't even take one human, then I'm just going to the shrine to get the miko to take care of you" I said, suddenly making a joke in my head.

(In Soviet Russia, the weapon fires you. In Gensokyo, the miko fires you! Even though that does not make any sense at all.)

I start to fly above their heads back to the shrine. But when I looked back, they were giving chase to me.

(Let's see how you like my spell card!)

"Seeker Sign! AMBUSH!" I declared. Strangely, nothing happened. I became confused and put my hands in the pockets of my shorts.

(Where are my cards? And why can't I declare them?)

They were gaining up to me, they seek to avenge their friend in the dirt with their talons outstretched while consistently making danmaku waves.

Meanwhile, I hastened my flying, scrambling through my pants to see where my cards went. The only thing I actually have in my pants is the Reimu doll I have yet to remove.

(Goddamn! Can you actually take someone's spell cards? And they picked the most inconvenient time to attack!)

(No, they should come back to yo-goddammit.)

One of the bird youkai was scraping my back with his talons. He was definitely making incisions too, but they weren't bleeding surprisingly.

"Damn, not now!" I exclaimed, before grabbing one of the youkai's hands. I jerked his wrist into a direction before I threw him into the forest behind my back. He is now no longer to be seen, but the other three are still behind me.

(Damn it, leave me alone! I'm trying to figure out where my cards are-)

"Spirit Sign! Fantasy Seal!" declared a certain miko whose voice was very distinctive to me.

(Was that you, Reimu?)

I turned around in mid-flight just to see the three being engulfed in 7 orbs of rainbow deadliness before a explosion ensued, leaving them on the ground. They were blackened and crispy, just waiting for someone to engulf them in frying batter.

(Well, that was much-nee-OW!)

I hit a tree along the way without looking with my head. I stopped and rubbed my head, not liking that one bit. I felt a bump grow on my head, but not to an exaggerated size you would see in animation; it was still noticeably big.

My back rubbed against the tree before I quickly stopped, stopping the stinging pain that made me arch my back.

(I really hope I don't have splinters on my cuts.)

(Damn you physics! Why do you have to work in Gensokyo!)

I saw Reimu flying up to me. She didn't look happy at all to see me, or at least she tried to not look happy. She had her hand clasped on her mouth, looking like she's trying to stifle a laugh. Yet at the same time, she glared at me with those unhappy eyes.

"Was that you laughing earlier when they had me surrounded?" I asked, as Reimu nodded.

(It was so funny you couldn't even tell me. Oh wow.)

(Wait, why the hell were you following me? Don't tell me you're all the scary things I mentioned!)

I sighed, shaking my head. I realized that the building that I ran out of wasn't the log cabin, but it was the Hakurei Shrine. And judging by the tea on my face earlier, that was from Reimu.

(No wonder I felt tea...wait a minute.)

Looking at Reimu with contempt, I gave her something that I believed she truly deserved for her actions and attitude. I lifted off her hand from her mouth; Reimu looked at me in question, before she closed her mouth from laughing. We had a brief moment of silence looking at each other's eyes, before I slapped her hard on the cheek.

(That's what you fucking get.)

She quickly covered her cheek with her hand as I left a red mark. She gaped in shock and anger as she slapped me back on my right cheek in response.

(You bitch!)

I quickly rose my hand in the air ready to slap her again. Reimu stood in the air unflinching from my threat. I was ready to slap her as hard as I could. It would be so hard she would be flying through the forest.

I moved my hand towards her face...and stopped at the last moment. My hand was on her cheek yet no wrath was incurred. Her eyes were squinted shut and her head was slightly turned away. I drew back my hand, looking at it in surprise. It was slightly red with a little stinging sensation.

(Now that I think about it, I have no reason to slap her. I really didn't like her attitude, but she still gave me a futon to sleep in her shrine. It's kinda like I...I'm just going to say sorry and sleep in her shrine again...)

(I have no fucking right to do that to her...but she just frustrates me so much!)

Reimu still had her eyes closed for a moment. Then she began to open them slowly. I felt strangely bad that I slapped the miko who gave me a home when I needed it.

She looked up to me again with her confused face as I dropped my hand to my side.

"I'm sorry" I briefly said, before turning my back on the miko and moving around the tree. I flew back to the shrine in a somewhat sulky mood.

(Did I really feel bad...or did the miko somehow guilt trip me with her feint?)

I tried to convince myself that she feinted to gain sympathy, like a bitch would. But I just couldn't shake the feeling that she genuinely was scared.

(She's been face to face with almost everyone in this world. There's no way that can be believable.)

I was already at the Hakurei Shrine, realizing that it was night and the Gibbous moon showed itself in the sky. I sat on the porch of the Hakurei Shrine in front of the donation box after floating over it.

I took out the Reimu doll I've been meaning to take out of reach of my balls for so long. I wanted to imagine that it was a voodoo doll and that I would punch it with all my might. But instead, I just fiddled around with my fingers on it.

(At times like this, I usually go home and destress...)

(Going home...going home...)

Memories of my past flashed into my head. My home, my friends, and my school all appeared in my head. My mom and dad also appeared at brief intervals. Then the pictures of the members of Toujinstyle appeared in my head. Some were pretty, some were plain, some were ugly, but all were memorable. I remembered the guitar I used to play a lot at home. I remembered the computer that I used to play a lot of Touhou games on. I remember my touch cell phone where I always kept texting a lot of people. I remembered an out of breath Jonathan who asked me to play basketball with him for the sake of his pride. I remembered the food my parents cooked that was out of place yet delicious; mixing spaghetti with fried chicken to bourbon chicken on a stick. I remembered the boring and plain classrooms, the color coded long hallways, and the drafty gym at my school; drama was a plenty at my school, but I never really cared because I was with my friends.

(Jonathan...Bradley...Lenna...Brianna...Mom...Dad...god, I miss them all.)

(I miss the outside world. I miss my own fucking world.)

(I think it's been a year since I got here. It's around the time when I first came here.)

(Had it never occurred to me that I had never thought of home and friends for so long?)

(I wanna go back.)

(Will I ever stay here? What am I doing here?)

(Will I ever go back to my world?)

(What will people think when I come back? They must be juniors now, and I'll still be a sophomore since I missed too much days. Do I really want to go back? I could always drop out, but what will my parents think?)

(Would that mean I would go back to Gensokyo? The dream world which I thought was unreal?)

(That's it. I got it. I will come back someday to see everyone, then I guess...I'll live in Gensokyo. I'm not sure how I will live in a backwards place like this. But all this relies on...Yukari.)

(She's the one who brought me here. Am I supposed to thank or hate her now?)

(Will my powers work back home? That would be an excuse for the govt. to hunt me down like an animal.)

My heart ached as I grew homesick. I peered up, seeing Reimu flying towards me sulking. She didn't really look angry at all, nor did she look happy either. It's that same stoic look, but yet her eyebrows looked more slanted. She seems to be a bit worried.

I hid the doll beneath and between my knees. I left it hanging with just one arm. She sat beside me before I felt her eyes looking at me. It didn't feel like the glare I was used to.

(If you're going to tell me to get out and never come back, I guess I will go back to the SDM soon.)

"Ken, can I tell you something?" asked Reimu. I didn't answer her because I really didn't have the motivation to. There was no incentive in it.

"Look at me" asked Reimu in a more commanding tone. I sighed before looking at her face. The red mark was still apparent on her face but other than that, her facial expression was alien to me. She looked calm, but I could tell she's anxious since she seems to want to tell me something. But she wasn't her usual stoic and bitchy self, she was very different.

I still filled the air with the lack of silence, I really didn't want to open up my lips to someone like her.

"Did you know...that you were the first one to hit me like that?" said Reimu more shyly, that slight pause in the middle gave me confusion. She seemed more eager for my answer.

(You would be the one to act nice and emotionless to people. But you're different. You're really different. You're like...Lenna when I'm alone with her. You sound...honest. I'm pretty sure there's no such thing called an acting school in Gensokyo. But, damn...you're pretty believable.)

I shook my head in response, then Reimu let out a slight "oh". She slightly turned her head in another direction before asking "well, why did you...apologize to me back there? I know why you slapped me."

(What's this?)

Reimu looked like she regretted her attitude towards me. She showed me through her tone and facial expression that she's remorseful and that she wants to make up.

"Because..." I finally moved my lips as Reimu paid close attention to me. "I didn't know how nice you really were until now. I thought you were a bitch."

Reimu quivered a little bit and looked down in shamefulness. I guessed she only paid attention to the bitch part. I was surprised she knew what that meant, since that kind of language doesn't really flow around here by my guess.

"You were definitely high-maintenance, telling me to sweep and clean for you. You were really greedy and I didn't like you basically. You were definitely not a shrine maiden that a villager would want to get to know."

"Does that mean that I should change?" asked Reimu, feeling her red cheek. "If I'm not being a good shrine maiden, then I need you to tell me."

(Should she change? That would...be freaky to be honest. Reimu is Reimu. She's like a tsundere and a kuudere combined. But I don't think I see anything about the dere part. Just the tsun and kuu part. She's mean...and she's emotionless. But I'm guessing as of right now, those two don't fit her.)

(Plus, Reimu being randomly nice to everyone would be really weird and contradicting everything I know about fanon Reimu.)

(I don't want her to change. She's supposed to control the youkai by exterminating them. She may be able to take on Remilia Scarlet, and all those other bosses in the games of a drunken man. But she gets absolutely almost nothing in return except being friends with them...and that's exactly what she really wants right now.)

(A friend to cure her of boredom. Someone who can shoulder her emotions from going...this sounds like an anime. But it's Gensokyo. The idea may not look realistic, but it makes sense somewhat. Just like a master spark is not realistic, but it kinda makes sense when you get blasted by it.)

"Ken? Tell me!" yelled Reimu anxiously, before she covered her mouth and looked down.

"I'm sorry" she peeped out in a little voice.

Without her looking, I immediately became disgusted at that. She would normally look at me in anger and even occasionally hit me with her ofuda or something. It felt foreign to me. I didn't want Reimu to change.

(That...is something I don't want. I don't want you to go softy on everyone.)

(I want to prevent you...from becoming a moe-blob. Because then you have to be extremely dependent on people.)

I realized how Reimu can get easily angry at the sight of tea mixed with spit turned into a projectile. I can see why Reimu wants me to clean up for her.

(You're individualistic. You're not the push-over kind or the oddly silent kind. You're someone who's not afraid to speak her mind despite being emotionless. You're not a pussy. Okay, maybe that could have been worded better. I'll stick with the former.)

"Reimu...I don't want you to change. I understand why you get angry at me" I said.

Reimu looked with interest at me. "Do you know why?"

"You don't want me to be just a freeloader to you. You try desperately to get money, and I don't remember you giving me anything to eat before. That of course makes you greedy, but only because I realize you work really hard when you usually get nothing in return, especially in conditions like this. But you're still lazy because I only see you sitting around. You're not afraid to bark at me with your insults and your thoughts. I like that about you because I just realized it, and you don't lie" I spoke, thinking about how grateful I am to Reimu now.

She did scrunch up her eyes a little bit when I said she was lazy, but she smiled at the last part.

"I make sure I keep Gensokyo under control. I make sure the border doesn't do anything strange. I make sure the youkai don't get stupid by punishing the more cockier ones. But I get nothing. Nothing. And you of all people understand that? I think it's getting more than unusual in Gensokyo, but...I'm glad you understand that" said Reimu. "You won't get mad at me for yelling at you in the future, right?"

(Okay, that's pushing it. But I like the fact that you took my mind away from my past. You cheered us up both. I guess we're more than acquaintances by now.)

"I can't promise you that, but I know that you mean well" I responded, before I remembered the little doll I was holding onto with my knees. "By the way, Reimu?"

"Huh?"

"I have something for you. And it's not money, you greedy miko" I joked, smiling. As much I learned a lot from realization, it was getting kinda awkward. So, I decided to return things back the way they were.

Reimu smiled before she frowned and pushed herself away from me, sliding slightly across the porch. "What is it, idiot?"

I sighed in relief, seeing herself back the way she is.

I pulled out the small Reimu doll I clung onto. Reimu gasped and took it from me easily with her sticky fingers. She examined it carefully and squeezed it with her fingers.

(Apparently, dolls is Reimu's orgasm button.)

"It's so soft! Where did you get it?" exclaimed Reimu, tickling the straw-like hair. I never knew Reimu had a taste for girly things. She's the NEET kind playing Mabinogi and The Sims.

"From...a willing participant who is unconscious as of this moment." I instantly thought of Alice when I said that. I wonder if she's still sleeping at the spring.

"Why is that participant unconscious?"

"Does that matter now?"

(I really hope she doesn't know that Alice and dolls mix well.)

"I guess not" said Reimu, before looking up at the sky. "Hey Ken?"

(Are you enjoying your balls-infeste-, what?)

"What?" I asked, not liking Reimu for interrupting my train of thought.

"Can I ask you to do something for me besides cleaning this mess up tomorrow?" she asked.

(Eh?)

I quickly looked at the courtyard, before my jaw noticeably dropped. A sound of an anvil hitting the ground was immediately heard in my head. It was like a battlefield took place on her courtyard with catapults and trenches and holes. Not to mention how cracked the actual courtyard is.

(Oh my fucking god, SUIKA!)

(She never used effing rocks! What the hell did Reimu do to get her angry? That meddling miko!)

I looked around in anger as I suddenly wanted to pummel the oni again into a pulp. This is the biggest cleaning job Reimu asked me to do, and I don't like it.

I drew my breath in through my teeth, trying to calm down, before exhaling it through my nose. "Sure, as long as it's tomorrow." I managed to say that quite calmly with barely an anger.

(I bet it's going to be awful hot tomorrow too.)

"Thank you. Are you sleeping here?" asked Reimu, hugging her pillow.

(Well, I am also pretty tired. So I guess so.)

"Yeah, I guess" I said, before stretching out my arms, yawning.

"Your bed might be a little soggy if you don't use your pillow."

I raised my eyebrows at that comment. Was Reimu really the one who poured tea on my face? I was about to ask her why she did that, then I decided it's not worth it.

(Why...I don't even care anymore. I just want some Zzz.)

"Meh, I do use my pillow, so it's okay. I'm going to bed, good night. Enjoy your present."

"I will, and good night. You'll be busy tomorrow so get all the sleep you need."

(You're funny. Enjoy the special treatment I gave to the doll I gave you.)

I headed into the shrine by going through the already open entrance. It was really dark inside, and I couldn't find my bed in the little moonlight I had, so I just found a nearby spot on the floor and got ready to sleep. My stomach growled painfully as I sighed again, having the desire to eat and drink something.

(There's a funky smell in this shrine. I'm not liking it. I'm also not liking the fact I haven't even ate the entire day. I should of ate those birds while they were nice and crisp.)

Before I succumbed to sleep, I remembered my fanfiction called Crossing over the Border. It used to be a big part of my recognition on the forums before I came to Gensokyo.

(I wonder if any of my fans are still there, seeing as I abandoned it for a year now.)

Then I remembered the conversation I had with Reimu just earlier, and linking that to my writing expertise, I had one last thought before I shut off my brain.

(Goodness, I'm such a Stu.)


	57. CI Chapter 3

C.I Chapter 3

A Not So Fresh Morning

(All thoughts are now italicized.)

Ken's POV

_Okay. Something doesn't smell right, or my last name isn't Asian._

I woke up to a very weird smell. It took me a while before I realized it was that same funky smell I detected last night. I kept my eyes closed while my nose wasn't particularly enjoying that stench. I could feel the light morning sun on my face with a slight orange tinge in my closed vision.

_I guess Reimu never bothered to clean that up yet._

_Reimu, huh...is she enjoying that doll I left for her?_

I opened my eyes, as I stared straight at the sun immediately. I squinted my eyes and brought out my hand to block the sunlight from hurting my eyes.

_I'm not liking that sun. I just slept on the floor without a mattress or a pillow. And it decided to attack me._

_Well, I guess it's time to get up._

From not sleeping properly, it was a little harder for me to get up because I used to be so comfortable in a little spartan-like futon. Now, I'm feeling pain all over.

_Maybe I should have went through the trouble to find a futon to use in the shrine._

Nevertheless, I managed to stand up and took a few steps outside onto the porch of the Hakurei Shrine. I yawned loudly and stretched for half a minute. I could hear my joints cracking, feeling satisfied to hear that familiar crack. My head also felt slightly tilted to the right; and there's nothing like moving my head to hear plenty of cracking noises and put back my head.

_Oh yeah, that feels good. I remember having used to spin my head, before I heard about a small chance that I could kill myself. That's too bad. I liked the sound of that, despite everyone else thinking that it was disgusting._

I turned around to see inside of the Hakurei Shrine. It was barely visible inside; being still somewhat dark inside. Out of curiosity, I walked back in. The strong stench almost repulsed me from taking any more steps, but I continued to take more steps in.

_God, that stinks. If Reimu isn't going to clean that up, I guess I have to. If I can find it._

_Unless I can wake her up...if I can find her._

_I'm pretty sure she took her time to find one herself to sleep in._

I looked around as best as I could in the dark room, using what little light I had. It's actually pretty difficult for me to find a shrine maiden in a small and dark shrine.

_A flashlight would be so useful right now. It's like the miko is playing hide and seek._

Eventually, my feet ran into something soft and strangely moist. I looked down, squinting my eyes to see if I found Reimu.

_You didn't pee yourself, did you Reimu? Something's moist right here. The smell is also stronger here. There's only one way to find out._

I took a breath in, as I was about to do something rash that could incur the wrath of the sleeping miko with her hidden god-like danmaku.

I put my right foot behind me in the air, then I kicked with it. I hit the wall with my toe, which fortunately gave me some relief, but definitely not in the physical sense.

_Man, I would have died if the miko was right there. I rather have a stubbed toe than getting killed._

_Still, where the hell is that miko?_

I looked around again, not having any luck with it being so dark. Then an idea came through to my head, as I immediately looked over at the sliding door entrance to the Hakurei Shrine.

_Maybe if I slid open that sliding door some more, light would get in; then I could find Reimu and see if she's cuddling that doll._

I silently stride towards the sliding door, getting in the light and feeling slight warmth on my face and chest. I placed my hands on the door and pulled. I looked back into the dark as it slowly begins to be illuminated. The little dust speckles in the air begin to disappear, becoming more and more invisible.

I stopped pulling and placed full concentration into scanning the Hakurei Shrine. I finally saw Reimu, who is sleeping in a futon right beside a barrel full of water.

_So you were right beside the barrel of water huh?_

Stepping over the stinky unused futon; my vision of Reimu began to get clearer and clearer as I stopped right beside her. I sat down and examined her closely.

She looked snugly fit in her futon, with a smile on her face. She only wore her sarashi into bed, exposing much of her skin. Her hair was undone, as it stretched from her head to inside the futon. She was cuddling the doll I gave her. At first, a devilish smirk went across my face, knowing that my precious marbles have poisoned the doll and tainting the shrine maiden. I chuckled a little bit, making sure to cover my mouth to muffle my laugh.

Then somehow, a complacent smile that seemed way less malignant than the smirk replaced my expression. I was surprised at first, then I accepted it.

_Wow...what's with me today in the morning? I'm not falling victim to the disease of Moe. Am I seriously immune now? I'm sitting right next to a half-dressed miko who was meant realistically to be portrayed only in 2D. But well, I guess she does look cute._

In fact, she looks so cute and adorable that I want to pinch her cheeks. But I rather not find out what happens when I incur the wrath of the shrine maiden.

Then again, the desire was rising for me to touch her. My grin grew bigger and my eyes narrowed more.

_I guess Moe is not out of my system yet. But I'm not fainting with exaggerated nosebleeds now._

_Okay...maybe one poke won't hurt._

I reached out with my right hand while sitting on my knees. I braced myself with my left hand on the futon with the palm placed right next to the Reimu doll.

_Yeah, that's not gonna happen again. Not going to get my ass kicked this time._

My sole intention was to poke Reimu's left cheek once with my index finger, since she was sleeping on her side. My shaky hand lurched right above her face; revealing that I was actually pretty reluctant to do this.

_Living an otaku's dream huh? Not when you could actually get hurt, despite Meiling's special training._

I just sat there, trying to poke a shrine maiden's face with a shaky finger that I struggled to steady. Even in the morning, I was too tense to take any real action.

_Come on...just do it! If she tries to whup your ass, you can't feel any pain._

Finally, after about 30 seconds, I pushed lightly against her cheek. Immediately after about a split-second of touching, I drew back my finger. Reimu mumbled a little bit, but even that alarmed me to the fullest extent as I had goosebumps and I retreated about two paces away. But then she flipped over to the other side, facing away from me now. Her hair seemed to cover her back almost entirely, drawing me back in closer.

_So...how long is that hair?_

I've always seen Reimu with her hair tied up with her ribbon. And I've seen it reach down to her hip. Just how long is it?

My curiosity got the best of me as I slowly slid off the blanket that concealed her body with the same shaky hand. I made sure to lift it off at the same time, so it doesn't feel like the cover is rubbing off against her.

_Careful...Care...DAMN! What the fuck?_

I stopped, dropping the edge of the cover onto her legs. The hair was like a monster, stopping just at her slightly bent knees. My face contorted so much in surprise that I hurriedly put the cover back on.

_Wait a second. If her hair grows..., how come I don't see my bangs?_

I frantically touched my own hair, feeling that my hair was short. It was always this short since I got here. My face contorted even more in surprise. I touched all over my cheeks and below my nose and mouth, trying to feel any facial hair. And yet, not a single hair was felt.

_What...the...fuck? Why don't I have hair growing? What the hell is this?_

My mind raced for any possible solution, before quickly coming to terms with this weird phenomenon.

_Then again, I can't think of any incentive I could get from having long hair, and I never liked having facial hair._

_Plus, you never see animated or drawn characters in anime, manga, light novel, whatever having facial hair. I guess Japanese people like to shave...a lot._

Still, I was still sitting there in shock while I stared blindly into the roof. It felt unnatural that I have no need to get a haircut or shave any part of my body. An even more puzzling question to me was why Reimu's hair was growing and mine wasn't.

_Reimu's hair wasn't that long around the time when I was first here. But was that with or without the ribbon on?_

I tried to remember what Reimu looked like last summer. Trying to think about it only gave my head a headache that I didn't need.

_Okay. Forget it! Gensokyo is fucked up. Whoever the fuck designed this place was fucked up in the head._

"Ken?" said a light voice below me. Surprised by the familiar voice, I looked down to see Reimu looking at me sleepily while laying down. She was still hugging the doll to her chest, but her other hand was covered around her nose. I could see slight wrinkles on her face, knowing that she doesn't like the smell that I grown used to. "What is that smell?"

_Thank god for that smelly distraction._

"I think it's from that futon over there" I said, pointing over to the source of the smell. Reimu's pupils barely moved in her seemingly narrow vision.

"Oh...I guess we'll have to..." Reimu stopped briefly to yawn, closing her eyes by reflex. I raised my eyebrows at her, before lightly shaking my head.

"...air it out" finished Reimu.

"How are we going to do that? We don't have a clothesline or anything like that" I asked, seeing as there is no post that could support said clothesline. And technology is too backwards in this world for any washing machines and the like.

"We do. We can set it up between the closet and the shrine. It's less troublesome with your help."

"Oh. Okay" I said, not really taking interest anymore. Since now I have to help Reimu with her laundry.

"Anyway, why are you sitting next to me?" asked Reimu, before sitting up and glaring at me with her doll basically strapped to her chest doing the same.

_Uhh~, that's a good question._

I sat there, looking at Reimu and her hair, while trying to come up with an answer to her question.

_If I had a Twix, I would...oh wait; how the hell am I supposed to actually clean up the courtyard? I can't exactly clean holes and cracked tiles. That's asking for way too much._

_Well okay, I didn't even need a Twix_

"I'm not cleaning up that mess in the courtyard" I said frankly. "Just to tell you."

"I know. You're too stupid to be able to come up with something to fix a mess like that. I'll just get Suika to clean up the mess instead."

_Oh gee, thanks._

My eyes narrowed at her decision. "Are you sure about that?"

"I do have something coming up. She will clean up for that" said Reimu sleepily yet confidently at the same time.

_Something? What the hell is that something?_

"What is that something?" I asked, being very curious. However, I had an inkling that Reimu purposely said something because she doesn't want to explain to me right now. Now I expected the miko to not answer my question at all.

"I'll tell you when I'm ready. And do I look ready to you?" said Reimu, before she smirked. This left me at a loss, because I have no idea what Reimu could be smiling about. Then she said, "Oh, were you disappointed that you can't lay your head on this?" She pointed with her free hand at her breasts.

_Heh. Really? You sound like a slut. But I guess it was my fault earlier for having weak moe barriers back then._

"You, a shrine maiden, can say stuff like that? Oh my dragon, I think someone isn't as chaste as she looks like" I remarked sarcastically, feeling odd about using the word dragon instead of god.

_Why didn't I use the word god? If even Rumia knows about Christianity, then it should be okay to say god in front of the pope of the Hakurei faith._

It seemed that Reimu took my remark seriously, as it looked like she just woke up. She looked straight at me with wide eyes. Blushing, she shook her head before frantically saying "I am chaste! And I forever will be! My duty as a shrine maiden will enforce it!"

_Reimu? What the hell? You get serious when I make a sexual joke now? You normally would be relaxed about everything._

_Pssh, who cares? You look so funny when your face is like that. Yeah..._

Still, I looked at Reimu in shock, as a sudden feeling of guilt lashed all over me. I didn't feel like laughing at all, despite the previous thought I had. I felt like it was something I shouldn't say.

"Just get out and let me get dressed!" yelled Reimu while still blushing. She squished her doll against the middle of her bandaged breasts and turned away.

_Jeez. Alright, alright! Damn..._

I immediately got up and started walking towards the open sliding door. If it's at the request of the miko, I guess I'll do it. Still, one thing irritated me for sure, and I wanted to be done with it.

In my stride with my back turned towards the shrine maiden, I said "And please hurry up and get rid of that smell."

Reimu didn't say anything back. My theory I came up with while closing the sliding doors was that she was still too shocked to say anything else for now. I found her reaction very foreign yet very funny to the sex joke.

_Usually I find Reimu to be easy-going, but when I make a joke that makes Reimu sound like she's easy, she goes on a QQ rampage. I have a feeling this day is going to be pretty long._


	58. CI Chapter 4

C.I Chapter 4

Silly Things

Wow, there really is nothing to do right now.

I sat on the porch of the Hakurei Shrine, looking at the lonely clouds in the blue sky under the shade. It's been a few hours since I ventured into the Shrine to see if Reimu was holding the doll I gave her.

Right now, I feel annoyed. I'm annoyed at the fact there's nothing to do after helping Reimu set up the clothesline and get rid of that godforsaken smell, and now a gender-swapped person is basically singing Rapunzel.

"Suika! Wake up!" yelled Reimu, standing on one of the broken tiles and looking right above me. She's been at it for five minutes now. Her voice gets more and more annoying if I keep listening to her. Suika I'm guessing is sleeping quite happily on the roof.

I think she's the kind that doesn't wake up to outside voices. It's like she has some noise-canceling headphones on her. Damn!

I'm getting a headache just hearing her scream. I need to make her stop.

"Hey, I got this. Now shut up before you give me a migraine" I said, getting off the porch and standing out into the sun. This invited a glare from Reimu, but she shut her mouth.

Hey! Don't look at me like you're superior!

Okay maybe you are, but I could care less now.

I flew up onto the roof, landing on the slanted tiles. It's a little difficult to keep my balance on the roof, but at least I'm not wearing shoes.

Oh yeah. You're definitely out cold. I could definitely get a tan like this.

Then I thought of myself accidentally slipping off and causing a bleeding injury on my body. I shuddered at the thought before looking at Suika. She was drooling away from her mouth, creating a little tributary to the little river of saliva running in one of the indentations of the roof. It wasn't dripping off of the roof fortunately, since it was stopped at the edge. I felt disgusted, while my makeshift plan of slapping her cheeks to wake up were suddenly discarded.

Goddamn, you can only drool so much. It's only been a few times for me whenever I drool in my sleep. I'm definitely not touching that.

Reimu continued to look up at the roof while crossing her arms. I find it creepy that it seems like she's examining every move I'm doing.

"I'm waiting~, don't keep me waiting~" teased Reimu, trying to be threatening.

Wanna know my reply? You won't understand what it means.

I looked at Reimu, then I held out my hand. My hand where all but one finger was in a fist position, the only one left standing was the middle finger. I'm giving Reimu the bird.

Just as I expected, Reimu narrowed her eyes in confusion, and proceeded to try to do it herself. Her fingers were clumsily moving as she struggled to do the bird. She looked down at it herself, freeing myself from her stare.

Reimu, if you don't know what it means, don't even try extending your digitus impudicus.

Now I was trying to get Suika to wake up. I can't wake her up by shouting at her face, and I'm not going to touch her face. I'm not groping her; I rather not get pummeled into oblivion. How am I supposed to...oh wait a second.

Yukari's POV

I am on the couch, watching Ran and Chen play competitively against each other on the Wii. I smiled at how an electronic device with a simple purpose managed to capture these two very easily, playing a game of virtual tennis.

Both of you are so silly...just when you two were getting worked up about not getting the dresses or the ears you want on your little avatars.

With one overhead swipe of a Wiimote, Chen serves the ball over to Ran and eagerly gets ready to counter any move she has to offer.

Even though I've already exploited the fact you only need to move that remote ever so slightly, I guess it's nice for them to work it out.

Ran and her avatar's eyes focused on the ball as it bounced in the virtual court. Automatically the avatar moves to where the ball would go; then Ran immediately tries to simulate a tennis backhand: she puts her Wiimote at her hips as she quickly pivots from left to right. As she pivots, her hand moves along at a faster rate in the same direction. It sways upwards, finishing the motion with her hand above Ran's head.

I shook my head and almost giggled; an impudent smirk on my clean face.

Was it really necessary, Ran, to do that?

Chen smiled, much to Ran's dismay. Ran's timing was unfortunately too late for the avatar to take the same action. The ball moved past the avatar, with its second bounce out of bounds, signaling a temporary victory for Chen.

Chen looked very happy as she jubilantly jumped into the air. "Yay! 15-love~!"

"Don't underestimate me, Chen~! I'll win for sure!" responded Ran confidently.

At least we have a friendly family competition here, and not like one of those...hardcore games.

I remembered a game that everyone played in the USA. I knew that it had an M for Mature rating, making it unsuitable for kids like Chen to play it. But nevertheless, parents and kids alike bought them and spent their hours away on a video game console.

Hmph. It can't be that hard to conceal Chen from...kill-streaks. If she ever felt empowered with a gun in a video game, me and Ran would do quite an intervention.

The scene in front of me seemed very unlikely, as it looked like they could play tennis all day. I predicted that there will be a day where Chen will get more and more engrossed in increasingly violent video games.

She already terrorizes the human village. We don't need her to get more evil than that. I'll be sure to teach Ran about Parental Control later.

After a few minutes of watching the two play tennis, I got up and went into the kitchen nearby after being somewhat bored. Chen had already won a game earlier, causing Ran to get even more determined at beating her in a game that takes little effort.

I wonder how Ken is doing at the shrine. I haven't checked on him in a while.

I teared a gap in space with a flick of my hand, with the gap revealing a building. It was a bird's eye view of the Hakurei Shrine. I became confused when I saw Ken position himself on the roof right behind Suika. Reimu was looking up at the roof, crossing her arms and showing contempt for some reason.

Ken, what are you up to? Why is your foot raised in the air?

Ken looked very weird, holding his foot right behind his body, as if he was about to kick something. Then he whipped it forward, kicking the oni on the head off the roof towards the ground. It didn't seem like a hard kick, but that doesn't mean it probably won't hurt. Even for an oni.

I noticed that the oni was headed right towards Reimu. She quickly sidestepped and peered down at Suika in surprise when she face-planted the ground with a loud thud.

"What were you thinking?" asked Reimu, still staring down at Suika's slowly reviving body.

"I was thinking that something more than a headache would wake this heavy sleeper a lot" replied Ken, before he lost his balance on the slanted roof for a mere few seconds, while Reimu's attention was on Ken again. He then stabilized himself and sat down, looking down at the two. Reimu looked really disappointed that Ken didn't fall off her roof before she began to help Suika up.

My, Ken. You sure are creative.

As Suika began to get up with Reimu's assistance, Ken suddenly stared off into a certain direction like an idea just popped into his head.

What is my dear Ken up to now?

He looked at Reimu and stood up, before beginning to float up into the air.

Hmm?

"Hey, Reimu. I'm going to go to the Scarlet Devil Mansion. Thanks for letting me stay over here" said Ken briskly before flying off into the distance towards the Misty Lake.

Just as Ken flew away, Reimu while helping Suika up, yelled "Wait! ...Just" Ken was no longer at an audible distance. After a few seconds, I heard Reimu mumble to herself while looking at the same direction Ken was last seen. She didn't seem to be happy.

Oh come on, Reimu. I believe you don't need his help in cleaning that oni's mess up.

Hmm, I should get a snack.

I left the gap open while I walked over to my silver refrigerator. I opened the right door and examined the contents.

Hmm...let's see here. Ah! A cup of strawberry yogurt will do the trick!

Amongst the other dairy products like milk and a tub of butter, I found four cups of yogurt attached to each other on the top shelf of the fridge. With the resolve to only get one, I took out the four cups, separated a cup from the four, put back the three, and closed the fridge with a cup in one hand.

Now for a spoon~.

I opened a small gap that is only big enough for my hand to fit through. Using my free hand, I reached in and took out a plastic white spoon.

I closed the gap and opened another one. I ripped out the top of the yogurt to reveal a pinkish and thick consistency of fermented milk. I deposited the top into the gap and closed it, knowing that I simply threw away the top with unnecessary efficiency.

I scooped up yogurt from the cup with my spoon before bringing it into my mouth. I savored the cool and flavorful explosion in my mouth as I took out the spoon from my mouth.

Humans. I love them for making something so healthy and delicious.

While enjoying my snack, I went back to the gap I left open earlier. While I fed myself with another spoonful of yogurt, I saw Reimu telling Suika to clean up most of the mess in the courtyard. Suika only looked so exhausted that she looked like she could fall asleep any second.

Poor Suika. First her plan is ruined, now she has to clean for a human.

"Is the supposed father not here?" asked out a random yet childish voice coming from the entrance.

Hmm? That voice sounded familiar. Could it be that brat? I haven't seen her in a while.

Reimu turned her head to face the entrance. Then she frowned; apparently she doesn't like whoever is visiting her.

"You? And whose father?" asked Reimu, puzzled by the sudden question.

"Ken. He hasn't visited in a while, and we were wondering where he went. Flanny's been crying for him to appear, and Sakuya would like to speak to him" explained the now recognizable voice.

Oh...Remilia. Speaking of Ken and Sakuya..

I closed the gap before I opened another one to throw away the now empty yogurt cup.

After having closed the gap, I walked back into the room where Ran and Chen were playing. They are now engrossed in a game of virtual golf. I knew their patterns when they would play golf on the Wii. Chen would immediately strike the ball towards the hole as far as possible without taking the wind into account. Ran on the other hand would strategically strike to a ball to a better position before shooting for the hole. Her highest number of strokes was a par, since she would usually get birdies while Chen would struggle with triple bogeys, taking many impatient strokes until she was finished.

I have already removed the barrier between them and Remilia long ago. Ken is not in need of support anymore emotionally. So no doubt that Remilia can interfere with her weaving of one's fate.

Still, their feelings are left unchecked. I don't know if they still love each other or not. But it seemed like a relationship that spurred out of nowhere, at least from my point of view. And those won't always work out.

Chen, when will you learn that you have to be careful with your shots. That's the fourth time you got into that bunker.

Ken's POV

I wonder how Flandre is doing. I hope she's doing fine without me.

I continued to fly in the air over the lake. I could feel the sun's heat even with the wind cooling me down. I wasn't close enough to the water to, in theory, feel more cool and comfortable.

Why is it so hot today? Should I fly faster or should I fly lower?

I tried accelerating at a faster speed, but that didn't necessarily alleviate the problem enough.

I hate how there's no wind chill even when you go faster.

So I flew closer to the water, already beginning to feel the frigid air cooling down most of my body. I felt relieved and slowed down to a much more comfortable pace.

That's much better. Although my feet feels really cold, it's a lot better than sweating in this heat!

Now that I'm over the lake, how come I haven't seen those two fairies yet?

I began to peer around, trying to find any sign of a fairy whom I pictured in my head to be freezing innocent little green frogs.

Nope. No one. Where are they?

Ah! There's the Scarlet Devil Mansion! I should say hi to Meiling.

I saw the only clock tower in Gensokyo attached to a mansion with the time at 1:00 PM from reading the roman numerals. I tried to look for Hong Meiling by using the dirt trail that Marisa carved earlier with her master spark. My eyes followed the dirt path until it stopped right at the courtyard entrance of the Scarlet Devil Mansion. I already pictured in my head a ginger gate guard sleeping against the wall on a stool.

One hell of a boring job she got. Other than gardening.

As soon as I got close enough, I touched down into the ground and glanced at the gate. Unsurprisingly, it was the exact same picture I was currently seeing in my head. Hong Meiling was sleeping on the stool; her hat was on the ground unsupervised; as if someone could have took it from her and she wouldn't notice.

Well Well Well~, would you look at that? I think I'll just take that hat.

I began to walk towards the entrance of the courtyard. I reached out my arm so I could take the hat along the way, bending my body to get my hand in reach. Just as my hands touched the metallic star on the hat, I felt a strong wind blow past me. Alarmingly, I let go of the hat and became knocked back by a strong blunt force on my abdomen.

The blunt force somehow brought a very strong impact on my skin, then the force just passed through my body like it was water. Then the same mysterious force knocked me back into balance and penetrated my body.

What the-, where the hell did Meiling go?

Why is my heart burning so much?

I felt like my heart was experiencing a massive scolding sensation that isn't pleasant at all. I looked at myself to find out that my entire abdomen was brightly glowing with a rainbow tint to it. As time increased, my abdomen began to glow more and more intensely; while my insides was suffering from searing pain.

Gahhh! Where the hell-

I turned around just to see Meiling crouched down on the floor with her back facing me. Her pose was very much like a ninja after doing one of those pseudo-samurai instant death dash.

Me-Meiling! DAMN YOU FOR THIS~!

As the pain levels in my body soared far above agony of the highest, the foreign rainbow energies began to shake my body very violently. If anyone would see me right now, it's like an exorcism gone wrong. Some demon tried hard to hold possession of its host.

My vision suddenly began to blur in and out rapidly. The exposure of glare from the sun began to get stronger and stronger. My eyes began hurting from seeing things like this.

(Damn it! I'm going to have to get her to stop somehow!)

"Mei-"


	59. CI Chapter 5

I faced Sakuya in a darkened room. The dimmed source of light was some sort of chandelier above me. Nothing else was in the room other than the chandelier and Sakuya. The walls were painted a shade of blue that seemed very familiar to me.

My body now felt very warm for some reason as I continued to look at Sakuya's face. Something was very different about her; her appearance remained completely unchanged; but a sense of familiarity from Sakuya made me felt uncomfortable.

It's like I met her before. Even before I came to Gensokyo, just what is it?

Her expression was expressionless, so to speak. Right now, you wouldn't be able to tell if she was actually a life-sized figurine or a human being. She just stood there, giving me this blank stare with her motionless pupils. Even her gray pigtails hung in the air as if they were frozen.

We both stood idly; I wondered why I didn't take any action to get Sakuya's attention. The weird thing was: I didn't have any motivation to. I just never had any incentive to do so.

Perhaps the particular motivation was affection, but that was gone. It was not there for me to get Sakuya to even nudge a bit. Maybe it was the strange feeling of familiarity that threw me off.

Why do I feel like I don't love her? Why is my brain tingling at the sight of Sakuya? Is she like someone I know very well?

I think I had this feeling before. I never had it before with Sakuya until now. I know this feeling. I have to! I need to figure this out!

What the hell...why is this so hard? So damn difficult. It feels so foreign yet so nostalgic. God-damn...

Wait. I just had a brief memory flash of it. I think I felt that feeling with someone before. Someone I know I can trust. I don't think it's a guy, but maybe it's...

While my mind was hard at work figuring out this mysterious feeling, my eyes caught the expression on Sakuya's face slowly changing. It seemed very creepy, because it was like her whole body was being manipulated very slowly by a puppeteer. Her mouth became wider, enlarging the gap of her two lips, and her eyes became slightly bigger. It distracted me from deducing where I had gotten the feeling, so I went ahead and tried to see what Sakuya was doing.

Sakuya? What are you...

A loud and piercing scream immediately came from Sakuya. I quickly looked around, spreading out my arms just in case something from a nightmare tried to jump me. She was screaming, and it seemed she was too paralyzed to do anything. It was very ironic, because Sakuya would just take out the threat with her knives. Another odd thing was that it wasn't her voice at all. I never heard Sakuya scream before though, but it didn't seem like her voice at all. It was very familiar though, and her reaction was familiar too. It frustrated me because I just couldn't remember why it was so familiar. It frustrated me because I also could not find what she was screaming at.

When I turned around to check if there was anything behind me, I felt a barrel press into my head between my eyes. When my eyes adjusted from the slight blur, I saw a black silhouette. The black silhouette seemed to have long hair and was wearing a dress. It pressed a gun to my head.

Just before I moved my head out of the way, I heard a gunshot. I clenched my eyes and prepared for the worst. Nothing came at first at all, and I felt the barrel lift off of me. When I opened my eyes, I heard a loud bang with a long and loud ringing sound. Nothing was there anymore. I deduced that it was probably a illusion, possibly one of the side-effects from Meiling's unknown charge.

Is Sakuya still there?

I decided to turn around to see if she was still there. During the process of turning, I felt a metallic object bang against my head. It brought my head forward and blurred my vision, before...

Third POV

Ken shot up from his bed. He frantically looked around in the dark before blanking out and staring forward. He was in a barely bare room. The one window beside his bed was devoid of scarlet curtains, completely bringing in the moonlight. It barely lit up the room, with much of it still in darkness. The walls themselves were scarlet, yet the edges of the walls were white. Ken was in a bed with scarlet sheets with white edges and scarlet pillows.

The room was basically full of a certain reddish color that is typical of the mansion's owner. Perhaps she does not like variety in her design of the mansion?

A lone box sat in one of the corners of the room. It had things that belonged to Ken; things that he only had left from the world he came from.

Ken shook his head after he took some time sitting in bed and staring at a wall. It appears that he needed a lot of time to cleanse his brain from any remnants of his dream.

During his blank stare period, he had wondered long and hard about the meaning of his dream, along with the strange behavior Sakuya was exhibiting. But it was to no avail, for Ken only came up with nothing.

He felt his stomach churn and growl; wincing at the stomachache that he should have got rid of a while ago.

With his desire taking control of him, he prepared to get out of bed when he just realized that someone was under the covers with him. He didn't feel the two soft and petite hands grasping his left hand. He noticed a large hump right beside him when he squinted. Ken quickly checked to see if his pants were on, then facepalmed himself with his right hand after finding out that nothing was wet down there nor was there an erection.

Then Ken facepalmed himself again for thinking about that possibility and growing an erection. When he checked if he had pants on, Ken could barely see under there with the covers darkening whatever is under it from the moonlight.

After much squinting and being uncomfortable from adjusting his back and turning his head, Ken became frustrated enough to take off the covers forcibly. He must have been extra grumpy from not having anything to eat since he took off the covers with so much force.

But now he knew who was under the covers; it immediately struck Ken mentally as he saw Flandre sleeping on his left side. He continued to stare at Flandre with surprise until his stomach growled again. It was a very audible one too, but it did not awaken the vampire.

Overcome by his much-needed desire, Ken subtly tried to slip his hand out of her grasp without waking her up. Flandre didn't really have much of a grip on his hand, but that didn't stop Ken from trying to be sneaky.

He slowly inched off his hand from her grasp in order to not raise her hand. If it were to drop after Ken's hand is released, it might have a risk of awakening the vampire. And if the vampire does awaken, Ken would find himself in a difficult position to get anything to eat if he would have to deal with his 'daughter.' Trying to avoid Flandre's attention isn't exactly on his mindset; rather, he's just trying to avoid waking her up.

As soon as his hand was free, he placed the covers back on Flandre before he turned around and placed his legs over the edge. He placed his feet on the floor before he stood up from the bed.

Ken, in an exaggerated stealthy manner, began to sneak out of his own room briskly. He silently applauded himself for escaping Flandre with a grin.

Just when he was about to open the door to the hallway; moaning made Ken froze up and glance back immediately back to Flandre. He saw her twist and turn onto the other side. He held his breath instinctively while he continues to observe what Flandre might do next.

"Daddy, I wanna stay with you in this mansion. We'll...always be together here. I don't wanna go anywhere" said Flandre in her sleep, freezing up Ken even more. He expected Flandre to turn around and guilt trip him into going back to bed. But instead, he stayed where he was while Flandre didn't even turn to look back at him.

Ken felt very guilty for leaving Flandre's side as soon as he woke up, but he would need something to eat if he wanted to get through the night with a nice sleep.

After a while, Ken exhaled slowly and finally walked out of the room. After being a few feet away from the room down the hall, he pondered Flandre's words. Then he started wondering about why Flandre started looking up to him like a father from the start. As he continued to think, he walked down the hallway in complete darkness. He doesn't seem to know that yet; the only way he could tell is if he hit a wall.

Ken felt like he didn't know anyone anymore in the mansion. He doesn't really know much about them. He questioned his fatherly relationship with Flandre before. Now, he also wondered why Sakuya was infatuated with him.

From his experience of hanging out with his group of friends at school, Ken doesn't understand how he and Sakuya are in a relationship when they both haven't really established any common bond of friendship before. Ken began to doubt his thinking now; knowing that he had a friend named Stephanie where they both were very close without really being friends for a long time.

He blamed his brain for being deprived of nutrients from not eating for a long time and made his goal into getting into the kitchen and eating whatever was there.

After aimlessly walking through the dark and endless hallways, Ken managed to find the stairs by tripping over them. With the sudden decrease in height, Ken had crashed down to the floor and felt disoriented.

Despite the fall, it was a welcome change than to occasionally bump into walls and busts alike. At least he remembered that the kitchen should be nearby. He could see the way since there were actually windows in the foyer with the moon illuminating it.

The moon was emitting a strange blue tint to its light, yet Ken was too hungry and confused to notice the blue light.

His stomach growled again; a sound that Ken had to grow accustomed to on his way here. He stayed on the floor until he is no longer disoriented.

Then Ken stood up and began to step forward on the way to the kitchen when a bolt of lightning grazed his left cheek. It made his cheek a little singed as Ken stopped immediately. His brain was immediately alerted into a state of fight or flight as Ken began to look around for the person.

An orb of fire was sent up into mid-air, before it became a bright light and lit up the foyer with its yellowish light.

Ken looked at the person who was behind him, recognizing the person as Patchouli. No other person would be in their purple pajamas, have a floating book in front of their face, and holding a floating wisp of green.

"Oh. You finally woke up?" asked Patchouli, surprised to see Ken awake. Ken looked like he didn't understand what Patchouli meant.

"Wh-what do you mean?" asked Ken in an almost hoarse voice.

"You were sleeping for quite a while. Three days to be exact. Meiling must have grown stronger in the past few weeks" replied Patchouli. "If I didn't know it was you, you would have been shot down dead by my spells for intruding the mansion."

Ken visibly shivered when he heard Patchouli's last sentence. He concluded that it must have been all those busts he accidentally bumped into that caused Patchouli to wake up. After all, several 'bumps' on the floor caused by broken chips and the breaking of the busts must have caused Patchy to grow suspicion.

"U-uh..." Ken was unable to come up with anything to say. The fact that he could have been shot dead by Patchouli plagued his mind. There was a little awkward silence, until Ken's stomach growled loudly again.

Patchouli coughed when she tried to laugh from hearing Ken's stomach. Ken narrowed his eyes at her while clutching his stomach.

"Can I get something to eat?" said Ken sickly, trying to stop Patchy from coughing and laughing at the same time.

Patchy stopped about five seconds after Ken posed the question. She said, "well recently, Sakuya and Remilia went out to refill our food supplies." Patchy paused for a few seconds, possibly debating on whether she should say the next thing or not. After a moment's hesitation, she said "they haven't come back yet."

That brought chills to Ken's body. He wanted to eat for so long; he was eagerly waiting to stuff himself with all kinds of food from the fridge. Now that he knew that there was no food left, he wanted to bang his head into a nearby wall.

In fact, Ken was just about to when Patchy said, "you could look for them." That was before she coughed again due to her asthma.

"but I'm hungry~" slurred Ken exasperatedly. He wasn't motivated to get out of the mansion and look for someone when he was hungry.

"They have the food already, I bet. I know a few food vendors that would be still open at this hour from what Remilia and Sakuya told me during our first days here in Gensokyo. It is either that or they are at the Hakurei Shrine's festival to celebrate with Reimu" said Patchy.

Much to her surprise, Ken was already out of the mansion when she said her last words. The doors were left open as it seemed Ken was in a rush.

"Find them Ken; they've been gone for a long time" said Patchy to herself, before shutting off the orb in mid-air. Now it was only the blue-tinted moonlight that illuminated the foyer once again.

Patchy made another orb that lit up her nearby surroundings but not enough to penetrate all of the darkness in the whole room. She began to make her way into the library as the orb followed her. The doors to the vast library were open already. And a faint light far into the library practically invited Patchy in. She seemed eager to dive into her books while she lets everything sort themselves out. Whether it was Ken figuring out where Sakuya and Remilia went or what her doll garrison is doing to improve themselves. There were occasional dwarfed figures of the SDM crew silently patrolling the library in groups; while Patchouli made sure not to step on them.

Ken's POV

I. Am. So. Fucking. Hungry. Need. Something. To. Eat.

After exiting the mansion and crossing over the Misty Lake; all I could think about is food. After realizing that the mansion had no food for me, I felt devastated.

How could you not have any food in the fucking mansion? You have fucking five...no fucking four...no...GRAHHHHHHHHHH! Forget fucking it!

I'll even eat rice without anything added to it!

I was hovering just above the trees of the Forest of Magic. My stomach was being impatient with me; I could feel it eating off my muscles to sustain my body by the pain I felt throughout this whole endeavor.

My brain was barely working at the moment. I almost injured myself multiple times by letting my legs graze past the top layer of the trees; running through branches and leaves at the same time.

In fact, I really wanted to bang my head against a tree and hope fruits fall down for me to eat.

I just want some food. I don't ca-ow. I want something to get my fucking stomach to shut the fuck up. Why can't fucking Gensokyo of all fucking places to fucking give me a piece of food. I don't care. Give me a fucking flaming gay fairy...give me a fucking...bird.

That's it! The bird has to be the word! That is the food I am looking for! THANK YOU SO MUCH REIMU! THANK YOU FOR COOKING THE BIRDS WITH YOUR GODDAMN YU-GI-OH SPELL CARD!

I grew very eager to get into the forest and go on a rampage to find those birds Reimu had burned up before. I didn't care at the time if the birds were contaminated with insects or fungus. I just had the raw and ravenous desire to eat. I wasn't foaming at the mouth, at least not yet.

Then the moment of truth came: I got ready by gaining some height in the air and preparing to go into the forest.

I felt like some rapid animal ready to feast on a nearby human; but it was justified in my head by this primitive instinct I had for some reason.

My mind and body felt already prepared to undergo the process and to rip off the flesh of the birds that were already cooked.

I immediately dove in head-first to the forest. I was fucking ready to bite into nicely cooked chicken. I wasn't going to let a few branches and fungus take me down from filling my manly way of things! And I bet even the fucking forest won't even have the fucking nerve to stop me!

*crack*


	60. CI Chapter 6

A Hypocrite Darkly.

Third POV

It was night with a strange twist. The light the full moon emitted had a strange tint of blue to it. Screams of unknown monsters and humans alike filled the air as the youkai strangely became more aggressive and the humans themselves turned insane from the moment they glanced at the moon.

Even those at the human village could not have been tamed by their peers upon looking at the moon. However, the human village seemed to be non-existent. There was a huge patch of land in Gensokyo; a huge clearing surrounded by trees and such. There aren't even roads that lead to it; every trace seemed to be hidden. It was as if the history of the human village itself was non-existent conveniently on a night like this. Who knows what would happen if the village was still there?

In the Forest of Magic, a ghostly woman happily chomped down on a bird-like youkai's remains while sitting on the ground. Her entourage waited impatiently for her to finish. She wielded two katanas with both hands, and a sperm-like white wisp followed wherever she went. She paced back and forth as she watched her lady cleaning off the meat of a bone.

"Yuyuko, please, let's hurry" said the silver-haired entourage. She slightly shivered when she saw her master lick the bone in pleasure. She felt a little disgusted at seeing her master do such demeaning things.

"Oh Youmu, must we? Good things come to those who wait~" sung the woman, known as Yuyuko.

"Not literally, my mistress. Now let's go" replied Youmu. She walked over to her mistress before she stretched out her arm, trying to take the bone away from her mistress.

Yuyuko swatted away the hand playfully and blushed. "Now now Youmu, I'm not finished~." She continued licking the bone as Youmu brought her hand back. Her face was blushing as she felt even more uneasy than before.

She sighed before she went behind her mistress's back and lightly grasped the neckline of Yuyuko's blue kimono. Then she begins dragging her mistress on the ground towards an unknown direction in the forest. Yuyuko continued licking her bone as if nothing happened as they both soon disappeared. Yet another thing society shouldn't see!

"Youmu, have you found her yet? I want to eat her~" asked Yuyuko casually in the distance. A snap of an object was heard before a loud moan that belonged to Yuyuko followed.

"Aww~, you're no fun~". Answer me, Youmu~" said Yuyuko playfully.

"No, I have not, my Mistress who almost choked to death on a bone. She disappeared deep into the forest before I could catch her." replied Youmu.

"But I know she we-"

"Shut up" interrupted Youmu, tired of her mistress's useless behavior.

Silence followed after Youmu's silencing remark as the two became too inaudible to discern any of their words. They finally went on their objective to investigate, even if Yuyuko really wanted to eat whatever she came across. Youmu wasn't willing to take any detour at this time.

There was a carcass left over from where Yuyuko and Youmu used to be at. All flesh and muscle were cleanly eaten off; and the bones had bite marks all over it. A certain somebody must had quite a feast; even going as far as licking the blood clean. Although, there was that one little bone that was a foot away from the carcass. It had spit and a little bit of half-chewed muscle on it. Perhaps that certain someone detested that bone in some way that it had to be separated from the carcass?

About ten feet away from the feasting site, leaves on a tree rustled vigorously for a few seconds before a figure landed and buckled to her knees on the ground.

She then collapsed to the ground. There was a grip mark on her thigh, and part of her dress was ripped off. She clasped her wound on her stomach, as she bled out a small puddle of blood. Her pinkish hair was dirtied and ruffled, while her wings lay lethargically on her back.  
Her other hand lied flat on the ground as the greenish claws dug into the earth.

Her left cheek was against the ground, as it revealed her fatigued and dirtied face. It was like she went through a huge defeat and gave up life. She was a still target for anyone to come nearby. She was very still though, so someone would mistake her for a corpse.

After a few minutes, she struggled to get up as she panted. Her wings flapped at a very low and lethargic pace. Her wound stopped bleeding as she managed to keep it under control with her bloodied hand.

Finally, she was able to stand on the ground. Her hand dripped blood to a puddle just below her and her dress was stained with it as well.

Third POV Limited

_It hurts. It really hurts._

The bird-like girl tried to take a few steps on the ground. On each step, the ground acted like an electrical shock pressure pad that would deliver a stinging taze to anyone who dared to step on it. Without the needless exaggeration of the ground, the girl cringed at every step she took.

After a while, she was able to walk again. Even youkai hated the aftereffects of your limbs falling asleep.

Mystia wiped her hand on her already bloodstained and ripped dress and leaned against a nearby tree. She continued to pant with fatigue as she looked up at the moon.

_The moon is really weird. So far, it's being mean to me...___

_I never saw a moon like that. But it's making everyone turn stupid and attack.___

_Even my useless friends suddenly wanted to eat any human they could find. The one who was with me was stupid. Very stupid.___

_He wanted to eat so badly. I wanted to stay in safety but he just had to take me and get eaten himself.___

_If he was smart as me, he wouldn't do that. He would help me sell food.___

_But no~, you had to be selfish and not help me make a lot of money.___

_I don't think even my singing would give me more people to use. I bet it's because that moon is playing a joke on them by making them more hungry._

Mystia stomped her foot on the ground in anger, thinking about what happened recently. Her teeth was pursed, as she seethed out her exasperated breath.

_The moon made me stupid too. It's all the moon's fault. It made me try to help my friend even if he was about to get eaten.___

_That woman with a ball that has a tail to it was too fast for him. He got chopped up and she just stood there, looking at my dead friend.___

_How does she learn how to chop so quick with those long knives? It's like she spends all day cooking and chopping meat.___

_Then out of nowhere, this lady grabbed me really hard. She was really cold too. She wouldn't let go of me. She even scratched my tummy with her fingers and ripped off almost all the front of my only dress.___

_Doesn't she know that I don't have an apron yet for my customers? I have to look good. Or else they won't like my food.___

_She won't even go away when I tried to make her not see anymore. Is she not human? She looks like one.___

_She had those weird floaty things around her so I don't know.___

_I finally got away after she saw my friend's dead body on the ground. When she let go, I ran away as fast as I could._

_Then I had to stay up in that tree. _Mystia glared up at the tree she fell down from. _The tree made it really uncomfy for me._

_Why is today a bad day for me?_

Mystia worriedly looked around for anyone that could be passing by. Her hands twitched towards her front, getting ready to cover any part of skin she has.

There was a rustle in the trees above her. Becoming alarmed, Mystia immediately ran to the other side of the tree. She peeked out and apprehensively looked around for any sign of danger.

She visibly shook in fear. _Is it going to get me?_ She stayed alert for anything that could mean a threat to her.

_It was probably just the wind._ Mystia tried her best to fill herself with false confidence before she ventured out into her former spot. She suspiciously looked up, seeing nothing out of the ordinary. The leaves illuminated in moonlight as they always have been. Mystia continued to look around in an apprehensive behavior, but she stopped looking up.

She began to sit down against the tree. Her butt slid down towards the grounds she prepared to get a moment's relax.

Suddenly, the rustle returned, and it continued. It was more vigorous than before, and the moonlight illuminating the leaves had disappeared. Mystia tried to run away, but she was unable to stabilize herself during her descent. She rapidly fell towards the ground on her butt as her knees temporarily rose up. She backed up against the tree by scraping her feet towards the ground.

_Don't hurt me!_

Mystia cowered into a fetal position, using her arms to cover her face and her chest with her legs.

A man in his teens fell from above into the ground. The grass bent as the man landed on his stomach and faceplanted his face into the puddle of blood Mystia left earlier. A brief rain of leaves and sticks filled the space between the man and the tree as they harmlessly fell to the ground. Moonlight shone once more onto the tree. Some of it managed to brighten up the trunk. Part of that managed to hit Mystia's face as she began to uncurl. Peeking through her growing vision, she looked at the man who fell into the ground.

_He doesn't look like anyone that would come from that village. He wears very weird clothes._

Mystia sat staring at the unconscious person in front of her. _Is he dead?_ She grew curious as she began to rise out of her fear and paranoia.

A little spark of anticipation went off in Mystia's head, as she reached for a long stick and repeatably poked the body from a distance. That spark of anticipation grew into a fire that was seen in her eyes. She eagerly licked her lips in front of the man.

_Food for tomorrow! A human too! I'm so good I didn't even have to blind it. It came towards me when I didn't even sing. He must be looking for me!_

Not realizing the fact that the man could be insane and is possibly hunting down youkai like her, Mystia began to brandish her claws and got ready to cut up the man.

Her claw pricked the man's left arm as she began to go deeper and deeper.

"Blood? I smell...blood" said a joyful unknown voice.

Mystia gasped upon hearing the voice and stopped incising into the man's arm. She licked the incision in order for it to temporarily stop bleeding. _Oh no! It's one of...them. Is it? They aren't touching my food! I rightfully found it, and they won't get it from my cold-dead claws!_

Determined, Mystia was filled with an out of nowhere burst of energy before she dragged the man's body by the hand away from the current scene into the forest unknown.

_I just have to find those things when I get there._

Unknown POV  
_Ah. They ran away. So much trouble._

I stepped upon the ground where I detected blood. I saw a puddle of blood right below me. Out of my curiosity, I crouched down and licked the blood from the ground. Luckily no one saw me partake in this blood in such an uncouth way.

That was before I spat it out in disgust. I knew the blood wasn't that of a human from the moment I touched my tongue to it, but I always had to make sure I checked for any human traces. Even if it tasted oh so riveting.

_Youkai blood. So disgusting. Servants are after all disgusting in many ways, and therefore serve our kind._

I rose up and saw a trail of blood that lead into more of this dark forest. I smiled and began to follow this blood trail. I stalked silently in the grass while staying out of the moonlight. It seems like this won't be so troublesome after all.

_This chaos. If it were such a person, I would thank it for pleasing me and my appetite for blood. Already, I was able to partake in many humans. They are strange today. Is it the moon?_

I looked up at the moon in a hole through the forest leaves. It had that strange tint to it. I threw away the possibility that it could be the moon.

_The humans were so erratic that they dared to attack me. They were so easy to take a sip from. The youkai were also unlucky to face me in the night. They were all aggressive towards anyone._

_Now I will come towards them. They will dare to face me and they will have the same fate as the ones I encountered before. This is the perfect opportunity to break free of this god-forsaken contract. Nobody will know. This is all for me._

_Before we were kings of the night, now we can only be hand-fed by those disgusting servants. I will betray my contract, for more. For more._

I had reached the end of the trail blood in the forest. It seemed to have dried out from sliding against the grass many times. I still see a trail made past the blood. The grass never lies.

_Perhaps one had go a-hold of their prey. I shall follow, and I shall drink. I can still smell it._

I walked on the grass trail with the smell of blood getting closer and closer. I walked faster and faster, breaking into an inhuman stride of patient steps. I dared not to implant my mark upon the earth by putting more pressure on the grass. What if they find out?

_The perfect night. For more._

I began to see a light in the midst of the forest. I smirked before I no longer walked. I no longer had a need to stalk. My vision was all over the forest, since I was everywhere. No one could detect me even if they tried. I moved forward towards the light, ready to unleash a surprise.

_You look like someone who's got a lot going on beneath the surface._

Third POV Limited

A small light emanated from a small Japanese stall. The fresh smell of fish wafted around the stall as there were various noises coming from inside the stall.

Mystia quickly rummaged through cabinets below the stove. The unconscious man laid right behind Mystia on the ground. An apple sat right beside his head while his mouth was wide open.

_Ah ha! There it is!_

Mystia took out a small box and laid it right on the unlit stove. She lifted the cover to unveil roasted soybeans. She then went back in her cabinets, looking for more items.

A light blue fog began to appear in the forest, as it began to surround the stall. It made it obscure for anyone to see into the fog. As it encircled the stall, the noises of the youkai and humans began to die out. It seemed to be blocking out the noises for anyone in the stall.

Mystia noted the strange silence; it wasn't surprising to her at all. She had past experiences of facing them in the forest whenever she carried a victim.

She seemed visibly worried, as she placed dried sardine heads around the stall. She at least had someone alongside her to help her out in fending off a certain type of race. Now she had no one on this unfortunate night.

In her seemingly last stand, she carried her box of roasted soybeans. She stared into the fog, fatigued but determined. _I dare you to take my food!_

After a few seconds, the fog stopped its progress, being about 3 feet away from the stall. Mystia began to get apprehensive. Of course she had experience taking them down, but she always had someone helping her.

_I better make the first move! I better show it that I'm not one to be messed with!_

The Ultimate Doom Theme song(Metal-Remix)

She threw out a handful of soybeans towards the fog. She smiled; as the soybeans flew through the fog, she could hear a sizzling sound. That meant to her that it was taking damage, and it would soon take action.

_How about you be nice and quiet and listen?_

Beginning to be confident, Mystia sang as high-pitched as she could. The fog actually receded back into the forest after it erratically moved around. As it receded, the chaotic noises coming from all over the forest have returned. And the fog was soon nowhere to be seen. Mystia beamed at her initiative.

_Ha! It's scared of me!_

Mystia continued singing and throwing out soybeans in all directions. She may be having a little celebration thanks to her bravado, or maybe she was secretly paranoid. She knew that where she stood was the only place where a sardine head was not placed, and yet she continued to carelessly throw around soybeans.

"SILENCE!" boomed a dark voice, as it echoed throughout the forest. The ground shook violently around the stall as Mystia was taken by surprise. She felled to the ground on her butt while her box of soybeans flew towards the man. It landed upside down on his face, as the soybeans began to waterfall into his mouth.

The earthquake shook so much that the leaves rustled on the trees, and a few of the trees themselves began to fall. It even woke up the man.

Ken's POV

"Hahahahahaha!" resounded an evil yet deep voice. It gave me the chills. I thought I was kidnapped when I felt like I was choking and there was something covering my eyes.

When I shook my head and tasted whatever was in my mouth, a box fell off onto an object of some kind that rolled over; while I tasted roasted soybeans. I quickly swallowed them and felt slightly relieved.

[]Is this an effing earthquake?[/i]

The ground was shaking so much that I couldn't stay in one spot. Everything from pots and pans to toothpicks fell over into the ground. I kept hitting wall after wall as the objects banged against my sides. I had half a second just to witness a butcher knife stick into the ground about a centimeter away from my head.

_Gah! This hurts! Air time!_

After hitting the wall one last time, I pushed off of it and flew slightly up into the air. My back faced the ceiling I looked at a blender of sorts. Everything was mixing together like it was some big saute skillet. I heard something broke in front of me, which seemed to be a gas container to a stove or grill, as a thick and viscous black liquid began to spread through the ground. It had a stench of oil as I quickly spotted an apple bouncing slightly on the ground.

_I can't let it touch that! That will last me for a bit!_

I reached for the apple with my unsteady hand. I moved closer to the ground as I kept missing and it was bouncing towards the oil. Then it went in the air high enough to land right into the air.

_No! I must save the precious apple!_

I quickly grabbed the apple as I saved it from being tainted with the black oil. It looked a little bruised, but I immediately bit into it and relished in its taste amidst the chaos.

After quickly swallowing my bite, I held the apple with my teeth.

The evil and raspy laugh returned as the shaking suddenly stopped. I could hear the laugh coming from behind me. _Where the hell is that coming from?_

I felt like I was stranded in hell for a second, at least before I turned around. A body flew by my right as it hit the stove. The body seemed to hit the grill as it began to be soaked with oil. When I quickly inspected the body even more, the first thing I saw were those wings that seemed oddly familiar, along with the pinkish hair.

_That girl! Mystia! She tried to eat me!_

_But why did she just get thrown around like a ragdoll?_

"A human!" shouted the evil voice as I turned back towards the source. There was no one I could see through the opening that could serve as an entrance/exit for the owner. "I have no need for your blood. Do be a good source of the purifying pyre."

_Pyre? ...oh shit!_

Realizing that this place might be set on fire, I quickly used the opening between the stove and the ceiling behind me by flying out backwards into a backflip. How I managed to fly out with such agility never crossed my head at least once.

I landed on the ground with uncertainly, ready to fly up in the air again just in case the ground hates my feet and wanted to shake again.

Turning towards the forest, I quickly began to fly away from the scene.

"Save her!" yelled a tiny yet orderly voice in my head. It took me by surprise as I abruptly stopped in mid-air.

_Who is that? Ahhh whatever!_

I turned back towards the stall as I flew in there. Standing on the ground once more, I gathered the little strength granted from the soybeans I had and the bite of an apple to pick up Mystia from over the grill and carried her over the shoulder. Her back was drenched in oil so my left shoulder began to get soaked in oil as well.

_Crap! She's too heavy for me at this point! I guess I'm running! I hope I haven't rusted over from Meiling's bitchy sessions._

Spitting out the apple and mourning its loss, I started to run towards the other direction, dodging trees and trying not to trip over roots. I hoped that I wasn't noticed yet for escaping the scene.

I then heard a crash of wood and debris, followed by a scent of smoke. I never considered glancing back towards the scene; I only kept on running.

"A chase? My, I guess you wish to become my snack. Hahahahahaha!" said the evil voice behind me, as it got closer to me with each ha.

_Why is this happening to me?_

"Hehehehehehe, I'll have some fun with you, human. Perhaps you'll be squished before I finally get you!" gleefully shouted the voice. The hairs on my skin stood up as he finished his sentence.

_What do you mean squished?_

While I was running, the trunk of the trees suddenly started to get bigger and bigger. When I glanced downwards, I saw the roots themselves getting bigger as well.

_Why are they growing?_

While I continued looking at the ground, some of the roots from trees immediately shrunk deep into the ground. I got confused as that would just defeat the purpose of supposedly entrapping me. That was before I felt a big wind pierce through my back with violent rustling of the leaves.  
Seeing an over-sized root, I took the time to jump so high that I could do a 360 in mid-air. And that I did. When I saw what was behind me, there was an entire tree down on the ground, along with many more following suit.

_You're going to kill trees to kill me? FUCK THAT I GOTTA GET OUT OF THIS FOREST!_

I turned back towards my original direction and continued running.

"Good show! Maybe you won't die such an easy death like my other victims" said the evil voice ominously.

_Trees are following down! And someone following in pursuit? Could this get any worse?_

While I tried to find a way out of the forest, I saw a dirt path that lead deeper into a bamboo forest of some kind. _Can't kill me with falling bamboo unless you whip me with it!_ I tried to get my body to stop, skidding on the ground, before I managed to get my footing together and ran down the path. I was not under any fatigue at all, but I was sweating a lot and I felt very hot. The oil helped cool my left side.

I felt Mystia slipping off my shoulder, as I could feel her back slide to the feet. So at this point, I'm holding her by her feet and she was sliding against the ground with her head.

_Nah. She doesn't deserve that!_

Slowing down and leaning my upper body backwards, I quickly shot forward with my upper body to slightly throw Mystia in the air, causing her to shoot forward like a torpedo. Like a clamp, my arm went downwards to secure Mystia on my shoulder as I held her tighter now.

_There we go. Now let's get...oh shit!_

Speeding up, I suddenly tripped into the ground as my knees skidded against the dirt path. Mystia fell gently onto the ground as I hit my chin.

_Ow! Fuck! Luckily my tongue wasn't there. I gotta get up!_

The thing was, I couldn't get up at all. It was like gravity thought I was special and pushed me down even more.

_Damn it! Why can't I get up?_

My head was stuck at the same position, unable to even turn or bring it up. I'm stuck looking through the same point of view.

I felt something light latch onto my leg that soon felt very scolding. It felt like a card bent around my leg and decided to act like an iron.

_Gahh! It burns!_

"That was so much fun, human!" said the voice, now in front of me. I saw two legs met the floor. The feet were black dress shoes and the legs were black dress pants with little white stripes. The voice began gloating as I felt a hand grip my shirt.

I tried my best to glance up to no avail as I only saw the dress pants.

_Damn it! I don't want to die! Get the fuck of me!_

The mysterious person lifted me up through the air as I took note of the clothes he wore. He donned a black and white striped tuxedo strewn with various blood marks with black cuffs.

He was bald and very pale. His mouth was seething with saliva as his entire face was revolting to look at.

Soon my eyes met his, a deep red. I could not stop staring into his eyes. My vision slowly turned monochrome except for his eyes. My body limbs began to be paralyzed as I continued looking at his eyes. His evil eyes were petrifying me as I could do nothing at this point to stop.

_I can't move!_

"You were the first troublesome human I came across in this delicious night. Now be mine!" said the man with a dark undertone. He leaned back and flared his mouth, revealing two little fangs at the top of the teeth.

_I knew it! You're a fucking vampire! I should have known you were behind this the moment I saw the apple back at the shop._

I became very afraid. My mind raced with two predominant theories: either I'm going to die or be one of them.

_I like the sun unlike you. And I don't think being a ghost would help anyone!_

Nevertheless, I prepared for the moment that could soon come. I wasn't ready to die at this point.

_Fuck my life.._


	61. CI Chapter 7

Third POV

Ken hanged in the air helpless against the vampire. Locked into the stare of his red eyes, Ken found himself paralyzed as his limbs hanged in mid air. He dripped oil into the ground from carrying Mystia earlier.

The vampire, looking particularly bloodthirsty, flared his teeth as he readied to bite his victim into submission. Ken sweated before he tried to close his eyes, yet he can't because of the red eyes stare he was under.

Ken was also under a state of cardiac arrest. Since his body was paralyzed, he can't really breath to help himself. His lips were forever closed while his nose was unresponsive.

Nearby, the border team was up against the magic team during flight. Reimu constantly threw her ofuda towards Marisa while dodging the countless number of stars that Marisa kept throwing out. Compared to the organized and compressed formations of the ofuda, the stars were in disorder and followed a random pattern.

In the meanwhile, Alice moved her fingers like mad, micromanaging each and every doll she has out like a Korean Starcraft player. The dolls themselves alternated between dodging the ofuda and vomiting lasers from their mouths at Yukari, who toyed with Alice by not trying her hardest and simply redirected the lasers to elsewhere via her gaps. Some of the lasers she misdirected were indiscriminate, since there were a few singed spots on Reimu. After all, it was going to be a long night despite the short amount of time that was left.

Both teams other than Yukari were in a state of complete concentration. Reimu and Marisa zerg rushed each other with countless danmaku and occasionally tried to melee each other. Marisa held back her trump card for some reason; the Hakkero was still under her hat on her head. Amazingly, it won't fall off with all the intricate corkscrews and flips Marisa done on her broom. If there was anything that's worth more than her Hakkero, it was her anti-gravity witch's hat.

Alice showed signs of frustration as her efforts in the battle were doing nothing other than holding back Yukari and occasionally causing herself and Marisa to suffer. Having to micromanage each doll like a Protoss Starcraft player was taking a toll on Alice, while Yukari continued to troll her to death.

Now back to Ken, he readied himself for the worst as he stopped strugging against the stare. The vampire got ready to fulfill himself in conceited glory and jerked his head forward.

All of a sudden, a loud cry was heard from behind the vampire. The vampire stopped with his fangs three inches away from Ken's throat and looked in the opposite direction. He continued to hold Ken in the air but his gaze moved somewhere else.

Ken exhaled out quickly and breathed frantically as he blinked his eyes to moisten them while finally feeling his heart beating. Curious, Ken looked where the cry came from.

A lone and hungry humanoid wolf youkai stood in the bask of the moon. Blood draped over the seemingly berserk wolf's dark blue hair as it foamed uncontrollably from the mouth. It seemed to have claimed many victims, becoming impetuous enough to take on two people.

The vampire smirked and simply glared at the wolf's reddish eyes. But the wolf brandished his claws in response, not becoming paralyzed at all. Ken was surprised from the wolf's immunity while the vampire raised his eyebrows.

He dropped Ken onto the ground who continued to breath at a rapid pace. The vampire brought his body to face the wolf youkai before he slowly began to stride towards the wolf youkai. The wolf youkai snarled and got down into all fours, as his eyes began to glow red.

Ken watched the vampire who continued to stride towards the wolf youkai unafraid. Then Ken began to glance around, before spotting Mystia's unconscious body on the ground. After a few seconds, he crawled towards Mystia as stealthily as he could while the vampire was distracted.

The wolf youkai suddenly leaped off the ground and moved with blinding speed towards the vampire. It held its arms outstretched ready to tackle the seemingly foolish vampire into the ground and rip him to death. Nothing was in the wolf's way; the vampire would have to act very quickly.

The vampire stopped right after the wolf leaped and chuckled once. He waited for the wolf to come, before he punched the wolf right in the chest in its flight towards the bamboo trees. The wolf was soon out of sight as it crashed through the bamboo and landed on the ground unconscious.

Ken was just near Mystia's body when the vampire moved almost instantly to Ken's position. He kicked Mystia's body two feet away from Ken before he held Ken himself again up in the air. He stared into his eyes, making sure Ken can't retaliate. Ken would have cussed quietly to himself if he wasn't paralyzed. So he cussed in his head to compensate.

Again, the vampire flared out his fangs as he readied to bite into Ken's neck. "No more interruptions~" sung the vampire ominously. That sent shivers down Ken's entire body as the little hairs on his skin stood up on his own.

"Bitch, get out of my way!"

A voice temporarily distracted the vampire, who grimaced and became annoyed. Ken cussed in his head again for hearing a curse word in Gensokyo. He looked in the direction it came from, right before he was suddenly knocked down by a large rainbow-colored laser.

The laser grinded and dragged the vampire into the ground, sliding him away from Ken as his grip loosened when he was knocked away. When the laser dissipated, the vampire was temporarily stunned and was unable to take any action for a while.

Ken dropped into the ground and breathed frantically again, silently thanking Marisa. He ran towards Mystia's body and picked her up. Holding her on his shoulder, he hauled ass with the incredibly lucky chance he was given.

He ran deep into the bamboo forest, taking any turns he can that does not lead him back to where the vampire was.

Ken had thought to himself why he obeyed the mysterious voice in his head and took Mystia with him. During his train of thought, he stepped on a pile of leaves; the pile of leaves were covering up a trap. Ken found himself in mid-air before he landed on his back in the hole while Mystia was against a wall.

Ken immediately sat up and scratched his back, shaking his head for not looking at the ground he was running on. He looked up through the hole as he saw the leaves that he stepped on hover lightly in air towards the ground to join Ken and Mystia.

He stood up, took Mystia, and flew out of the hole and back onto a path. He himself landed on the ground before he ran again, taking the time to notice if the ground was unsafe or not.

"You...will not get away! YOU WILL FALL TO ME!" boomed the vampire's threatening voice throughout the bamboo forest. Ken only kept running to maintain the amount of distance he had from where the vampire was last seen. He hoped that the master spark would have stunned him for at least a little longer.

Ken heard impending footsteps behind him, so he quickened his pace to get away from the footsteps as fast as possible. It seemed that Ken heard more than a set of footsteps behind him. He quickly deduced that the vampire was trying to fool him by making it possible to appear from any direction. Stepping onto a clean wooden platform, he kept on running with his bare feet. He kept running into the darkness. He kept on running until he hit a wall with his face.

The impact resounded with a loud thump as Ken was knocked back into the floor with Mystia following suit. She fell with her lower abdomen landing on Ken's neckline, her legs fully spread apart, and her face on Ken's shorts. Amazingly, she was still obliviously unconscious to the situation and the possible fact that the readers of this fanfiction felt something funny in their pants.

Ken blacked out for a second before he hazily opened his eyes, seeing something red in front of him in a blurry vision. He felt more wet, especially where his own lower abdomen is.

As soon as his vision became more clear, he widened his eyes while his forehead became wrinkled with surprise. He began to sweat as the rest of his body remained paralyzed in darkness. It was so faint, but it was right in front of him.

Ken lifted his head to get closer to it. He wanted to lick it, as it was his first time doing something like this. He put his hands on top of Mystia's oily legs as he brought his head in closer.

When he was close enough, he brought out his tongue and brought up it against it. Ken relished the taste, and continued licking with no apprehension whatsoever as the saliva from his tongue slipped down. It was like he had nothing to worry. He was alone with a Night Sparrow after all. A night sparrow who playfully liked to shout the name of the extension of skin from the human male body.

Ken stopped after a few seconds; he felt already relieved when he licked up the remains of a strawberry jam on Mystia's right thigh right next to her panties.

He moved Mystia's body out of the way before he got up...before he fell down to the floor again. It seemed that Mystia was so wet that the oily substance she left behind made Ken slipped.

Ken grimaced and got up, making sure the entire bottoms of his feet made contact with the floor at the same time. He walked off the puddle with his entire back now oiled, shook off as much oil as he could like a dog, and picked up Mystia bridal style.

He looked around, trying to see what was around him in darkness. Soon, he heard a creek on the wooden floor that made him jump.

Ken tried to back away from the sound of the creek, only to be backed up against a wall. The apprehensive mood locked him against the wall, as he couldn't really do anything in darkness. His hands carrying Mystia began to move to opposite sides of her body while making her head point towards the darkness.

Ken saw two faint red lights in his peripheral vision. He quickly turned his vision towards the red lights and pointed Mystia towards it.

As soon as he did however, he somehow fell through the wall. Ken began to be in a state of free-fall through darkness. He couldn't see anything, but he was just falling. He could feel the wind blowing past and whipping his body at the same time.

Ken was in a hysteric state. He looked around himself in all directions as he twisted his body. He went back to looking 'upwards' after he felt a nice slap to the wind by looking 'downwards.'

He held Mystia at his side like a spear tightly, just in case she might move away from him.

Ken closed his eyes, shaking his head, trying to see if he was in a dream or not. Then he felt two soft and skinny hands hold his head still gently.

He no longer felt like he was falling, nor did he detect the presence of Mystia on his side. He opened his eyes, looking at a face. He was lying still against the wooden floor on his back. He could see, since there seemed to be a lit lantern above him.

He felt surrounded by long and light purple hair. He felt the hands lift off his face as his eyes wandered to the hands. The hands themselves covered up the face's eyes.

Ken had a girl on her knees on top of him all of a sudden. She was wearing a black business suit over her white shirt with a red necktie. Her left suit-collar is decorated with a crescent moon-shaped insignia, and there appeared to be paper or business cards poking out of her left shirt pocket. She was wearing a beige skirt that Ken paid attention to specifically.

Ken immediately recognized who she was, and he now knew why he was 'falling' earlier.

"Who are you? Why are you here?" seemingly whispered the girl. Ken's face became scrunched with confusion. He saw the girl's lips move, but he heard only a whisper in his ears. He doesn't remember that about the girl. Nor did it seem familiar to the voice in his head earlier.

"I...I..was running away from someone" responded back Ken with apprehension. "Where's the other..."

Right before Ken could finish, his gaze wandered back to where her hands are. She removed her hands, revealing a set of red eyes.

Ken accidentally looked directly into her eyes, causing himself to have a migraine all of a sudden. He began having a stomachache, having his hand cover his belly button. He looked away in pain and discomfort.

The girl looked disappointed before she stood up upright and walked back a few steps from the scene. With a wave of her finger, the lantern went out, putting the room in darkness again. Ken immediately sat up, trying to find the girl again by hunting for a pair of bright red eyes. Unfortunately for him, the girl covered her eyes. No longer motivated to continue looking for the girl, he stood up and tried 'kicking' around on the floor to try to find Mystia's body.

The girl could see Ken clearly through the cracks in her hand. She can easily see in darkness, watching Ken and his futile attempts. Earlier, she took the body away from him and sat her upright against a corner while Ken was 'falling'. She began to giggle softly to herself, finding it funny for Ken to not be able to see where her body is.  
She waited for him to be done, despite her master's recent orders to seal the doors from the incoming intruders. She wasn't prepared for this clueless human.

"I have finally found you!" resounded a familiar evil voice. The girl looked away from Ken in alarm and uncovered her eyes. She didn't expect another intruder to come into the hidden mansion.

Ken began kicking more vigorously in air in a broader range. He was in a hurry to find Mystia and get out of this place. He didn't want to be caught unguarded in this darkness.

"I love the darkness! Hahahahahahahaha!" echoed the voice as the girl ran out of the room and into a hallway as dark as the room she was in. No other 'rabbits' were nearby for assistance, so the girl was on her own.

With her vision, she could see the vampire creeping in the mansion. He wasn't aware of the girl's presence in the hallway, preoccupied by the bloodlust he had for the human.

The girl shook her head, before she moved her fingers to resemble the shape of a gun. She was ready to do business for the sake of the mansion's ambiguity...and not get beaten by her master.

She gazed at the vampire with her red eyes. They glowed intensely in the darkness. Right before the vampire began to look at the bright red light, he began to 'fall' through darkness. In reality, he fell to the ground and moved around his upright arms and legs.

"What is this? Who dares to do this to me?" growled the vampire, jerking his head around in an attempt to find the perpetrator.

Ken, having found Mystia earlier, tried to find a way out of this room. He heard the vampire's cry but he didn't hear anything else. It puzzled him as he felt around the walls for a gap in space while Mystia was over his shoulder. It was amazing on how she wasn't awake yet this whole time.

In the meanwhile, the girl continued to gaze at the vampire. She held her 'hand' gun continuously towards the vampire.

"What is this? I can't hear myself? I don't feel anything! I don't smell anything! I can't even smell that delicious human! What sort of trickery is this!" cried the vampire in anger. The girl took this as a signal before she walked normally towards the vampire. She began to shove the vampire with her feet across the hallway. The vampire showed no reaction to this while he continued to wail.

Finally, the girl gave him one great kick, making the vampire roll into the ground outside. She looked out into the night, taking a deep sigh. It would have been bad for her if her master found out there were intruders in the mansion. And she hadn't done anything with the human yet.

She doesn't know whether she should kick him out or...learn how the humans work from one. She wasn't really able to learn how to interact with humans that well. They never understood her at all.

Maybe she could ask her master to concoct a medicine for the human to take so he could understand her. She became afraid at the thought, because the human was an intruder after all.

All of a sudden, a small girl wearing a pink and frilly nightgown pulled on her skirt. The girl instinctively held her skirt together with her hands, like she was used to it. But she was only tugging at her skirt, not trying to drag it down.

"Noo~...Tewi, what's happening?" asked the girl when she looked at the small girl's worried facial expression.

"The rabbits told me they see two people coming towards us. Some of them saw them beating up that witch and that weird girl with her dolls" replied Tewi in an urgent voice. It seemed that this 'Tewi' was unable to understand the girl perfectly.

The girl remembered them both when she was on her way home and when she had to undergo her task of selling medicine. She didn't like them very much, nor that she liked the fact that two more potentially dangerous people are on their way.

"Tewi, round up the rabbits and be ready to stall for Eirin to do her job" ordered the girl.

"Okay. Leave it to me!" eagerly said Tewi before she ran back out to call the rabbits in. The 'youkai' rabbits eagerly listened to Tewi as they gathered around her.

The girl quickly ran back into the mansion after briefly watching Tewi round up the rabbits. She secretly smiled mysteriously for a short while. She had one last thing to take care of before sealing the doors.

She began to walk back towards where Ken is.  
**  
**Ken's POV

_Reisen, that girl has to be her!_

_It's only logical...err...it only makes sense that...uhhh...it has to be her! There's no one who has purple split ends! Nor would you find someone wearing a business suit in effing feudal Gensokyo._

_Nor would you find a girl who could take care of a bloodthirsty vampire who happens to be chasing after you._

_Nor would you find a night sparrow covered in oil._

_Nor would you find a person who's trying to come up with more 'nor would you find a' phrases in a world imagined by a blissfully drunken man._

I continued feeling around the wall until I came across a gap. I reached my hand out to see how far the gap was, only to touch someone's face. It felt really soft and nice.

I could honestly tell the person was scared, especially after she threw my hand off and screamed for a bit. A brief silence followed, while I heard no footsteps.

_If it's Reisen, should I look into the gap to risk staring into her red eyes? Or do I stare straight into what I think is the wall until she's gone?_

_Either way, I don't have to worry about a vampire anymore since apparently, he's gone. Must have felt pretty ironic._

My curiosity had gotten the best of me, so I decided to look into the gap. I leaned in my head to see no glowing red eyes. That was the first thing I looked for. Anything else, I would have to squint my eyes really hard to see through this already opaque darkness.

_Well okay, looks like she's not in the room. Now let's get...oh god, now?_

Just when I was about to walk out of this room, the red eyes suddenly appeared right in front of my eyes. I looked away as quickly as possible but I already started to get a migraine.

_I really hate the fact that every time I looked into her eyes, something bad happens to me like it meant to be._

_Welp, looks like Reisen is forever a loner~! Unless Eirin comes up with some wacky-ass medicine that counteracts those effects. I would totally take it if it doesn't involve shoving a leek up your ass._

_I have seen too much overdrive that time obviously._

_I mean, take a look at Reisen right now, she's obviously twitching in...oh god._

I was so deep in my train of thought that I didn't realize I was in a white world. Reisen was in front of me, twitching her arms and butt up and down like there's no tomorrow. She was also slightly translucent, like she was part of the white background.

Mystia was gone from my shoulder...again. I was still damp with oil, but I wasn't dripping.

_Well, I better enjoy this illusion. This will be..._

All of a sudden, a giant blue portal appeared out of nowhere in front of me. What came out was myself in a business suit and a skirt riding a unicorn. I had rabbit ears and a cottontail to boot. You could say I was wearing the same attire as Reisen.

I almost vomited at the sight of me being a trap. _Would this be me going backwards? Gay in Gensokyo? Oh no, I don't think so. Oh no._

Then the trap me started to talk in a deep voice, then a soft voice, then in between; his voice resonated at different frequencies as he talked. It was very disorientating because I couldn't understand him. From what I gathered, he said "stay in this room, or else you and your freend won't bay talking care off."

_Shut up. You sound like the horse...or unicorn you're riding on.__  
_

It was then that I realized that this was going to be a long journey in a lunatic experience. At least I wasn't suffering a migraine anymore.

_This is probably the greatest adventure since Harold and Kumar._

_The only problem is that I have got nothing to smoke. So the next chapter won't exactly be a stoner comedy._


End file.
